The Legend of Zelda: Panthean Revelation
by Knight on Bald Mountain
Summary: Sequel to "Sorrow of Silidan" (recommended, but not mandatory to read first). Almost thirteen years have passed since the truce between Hyrule and Silidan, and both kingdoms have been prospering. Now, an opportunity for another adventure has fallen into the Hero of Hyrule's lap. But Link, with a new life and family to look after, must decide how he can approach it.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The sun's descent into the west was particularly beautiful that night. Hues of gold, indigo, and crimson streaked the sky, and not a single cloud obscured the glamorous vision. The light shimmered along the waters of Ordona, making it glow even brighter than the vast orb that gave it off. If ever there was an evening to relax and enjoy that great gift of the goddesses, it was that one.

That was precisely what most people in New Ordon were doing. The tiny village, which had been nothing more than a tightly-knit farming and ranching community, had been rebuilt after its destruction, becoming at least twice the size of the former. This was because of its new role as the border town between Hyrule and Silidan. With trade between the two kingdoms reopened, the town's importance had risen greatly. And at the hour of twilight, when the day's work was finished, most people spent their time simply sitting back and watching the beautiful sunset.

"Hyah!"

Of course, there were a few with other things in mind. One of which was a warrior swinging a sword against an admirable adversary that ended with an astounding WHOP! Yet, the foe still stood, undaunted by the attack. The fighter snorted, embittered by failure, and swung again.

"Yaat!"

The next blow landed on its neck. The force of the blow caused the target to waver, but it wouldn't go down. Its armor was far more powerful than the blade. The champion grunted in anger again, but would not give up. Raising the sword once more, the gallant hero slammed it onto the intruder's head.

"Sheeagh!"

The weapon's impact knocked its helmet clear off, sending it rolling several feet away. Still, the monstrosity would not fall. It stood in defiance of the warrior, as if to mock her. "Now listen here!" She pointed her blade at it, threateningly. "I am the great hero of the land! No matter how many strikes it takes, I _will_ knock you down!"

With another resounding war cry, she struck the scarecrow across its chest. It connected with a loud CRACK! The young girl glanced at her weapon to see that it had completely split in two. She sighed in defeat, walking over to the broken piece of wood that went flying far behind the scarecrow. Once again, the villain had defeated her efforts to bring it down.

The girl was tall for her age, athletic and always covered in dirt. She already had a pair of scars too: one on her left leg, from when she failed to completely jump over a campfire; the other was from when she raised up her father's sword. Its weight was too much, and in an effort to prevent it from cutting into a table, caught the blade in her left hand. She was never afraid of danger, unless her mother got involved.

Just when she bent down to pick up the second half of her sword, she heard footsteps approaching. Diving behind some weeds, she silently watched the lonely figure's approach. Coming from the direction of the town, strolled a young boy. His head was high in the sky, observing the last rays of the sun's majesty. A devilish grin streaked the girl's face as she crept out of the weeds, approaching the younger kid from behind.

The boy had no clue he had a stalker; his mind was clearly in another place. When the girl reached her prey, she snatched a handful of his jet-black hair, inquiring in a deep, sinister-sounding voice, "What have we here?!"

Greatly startled, the child flailed his arms around trying to remove the hand that held him. The girl laughed playfully, not giving him any leeway in his task. Eventually, she let go out of pity, and the boy yelled at her.

"Why'd you do that?!" His voice was strained and clearly upset. The older girl just giggled as she replied. "Because I knew how you'd react. You're so funny-looking when you're scared."

The young boy shoved her away. "It's not funny, and it makes me want to...to..."

"To what?" She asked, though the answer was obvious to her. He wished that he was older, and bigger just so he could beat her up once. She felt a little bad for constantly picking on him, but also thought that he took everything too personal. "Come on, I was just having some fun. Why don't you ever have fun?"

Before he could answer, a voice from afar called to them both. "Leviah! Esekel! It's getting dark outside! Time to come in and get ready for bed!"

The children looked back to see their father, peering out the door of their home. They both moaned, wishing they could play outside forever. Leviah pleaded for more time. "Aw, daddy! Can't we stay out a little longer? I promise I won't sneak up on Esekel again!"

"You shouldn't be sneaking up on him anyway. You know he doesn't like it. Besides, I just had the tub heated. You both need baths tonight."

"Can't we just wash up in the spring instead?" It was Esekel's turn to beg, but his father knew how to respond. "No, because I know you'll get dirty on your way back in. Besides, that's where we wash the horses."

"But can't we-"

"No more _can't we's_. Now get in here, or do you want me to get your _mother_?"

That immediately hushed the children's complaints. Esekel, rapidly dashed into their treehouse, hopping over the single step of their porch. Leviah, after she finally finished the task of grabbing the broken parts of her wooden sword, followed after him. Their father met them inside, making sure they took the ladder down to the bathroom. As Leviah passed her father, she paused and held up her snapped toy. "I busted it again."

"Then I suppose I'll have to fix it again." He grinned at her, taking her broken blade in one hand while patting her head with his other. She shared the same dirty blonde hair with her father (just as Esekel's reflected that of their mother), except hers ran down to the top of her back, and was as unkempt as a wild animal. "Now run along, my girl."

Leviah obeyed, descending down the ladder. Her father mused silently as he placed the wooden sword on a chest of drawers and moved to sit next to his wife. She'd quietly listened to her husband's parenting while rocking softly in her chair. Once the adult hylian sat down, he let out an exhausted breath. His wife asked plainly, "Rough day with those two?"

He smiled broadly at her before replying. "They're full of energy, but I can still keep up. How was that one?"

He pointed at their third child, nestled in his wife's arms and sleeping soundly. "Yerik's been quiet, actually."

"Sometimes, I think you've got it easy." He said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Is that so, Link?" She responded in jest as well. "Well then, the next child we have, _you_ can give birth to it, yeah?"

They both had to stop themselves from laughing, not wanting to disturb the resting baby. Link silently recalled the event of Leviah's birth ten years earlier. Though he wasn't allowed in the room, he could hear his wife, Ashei, screaming at the top of her lungs. He quickly realized afterward not to underestimate the pain that came with childbirth. Ashei was fiercely strong, but even she wasn't immune to it. How he'd convinced her to have two more kids escaped his memory, but he was glad she agreed. Once Yerik, the youngest, was born, they decided that that was enough.

"Any word from Zelda?" Link inquired. He had just returned from a quick trip to Kakariko with the kids. He was to bargain for more supplies from the gorons, while the kids got to try the hot springs for the first time. Leviah swam around as if it were an ordinary pool, while Esekel wouldn't even touch it, saying that it was "too hot."

Ashei nodded while handing a letter to him. "Looks like we'll be getting our supplies within a week."

Link read the letter to get the details. At the request of Rusl, they'd recently requisitioned from the castle a shipment of various school materials. With a large number of kids in the newly repopulated town, proper schooling was becoming a necessity. Link and Ashei had been doing their best regarding their own kids, but lacked a number of resources that could ease the difficulty. It also didn't help that they had much to learn on the art of teaching. Yet Zelda had responded, relieving some of the stress that Link was feeling over the situation.

The queen, in her letter, then continued to talk about an upcoming celebration that would take place at the castle. It was to honor the pact between the two kingdoms. Since Link and his allies had assisted Lord Aric claim control of Silidan almost thirteen years ago, relations had reopened between the nations. Now 'King' Aric Maukro, the leader of Silidan enjoyed seeing commerce boom and social shackles fall away within the passing time. It sounded like this celebration would be a good getaway for the hero and his wife.

"What's this?" The hero was a bit confused by an addendum at the end of the letter. "I... 'I wish to also inform you that your services may be required within the near future.' Did something important transpire while we were gone?"

"Not that I'm aware of. It's possible that...hang on a second." Hearing her other kids monkeying about in the bathroom, Ashei covered the baby's ears while giving the others a warning. "Do _not_ make me come down there and clean you two up myself!"

The bickering died down, allowing Ashei to finish her statement. "It's possible that something occurred up north, but nobody has come through here from Silidan yet."

Link could not stop himself from trying to decipher Zelda's final remarks. After a minute or so, he heard Ashei pout softly. Her eyes strayed outside, watching the stars begin to shine with the passing of the sun. Link put his hand on her shoulder. "Reminiscing about the 'good old days' again?"

Ashei glanced back to her husband, her smile turning weakly, and nodded. "Sometimes... _only_ sometimes, I wish we didn't have any kids, and kept on adventuring."

"Thinking you maybe made the wrong decision?" Ashei rolled her eyes at Link's absurd question. "Of course not. I'm just saying that I miss those times. I'm allowed to do that while still loving my children."

"Just be patient, darling. Another couple of years, once Yerik can walk on his own, we can travel again as a family, visit Snowpeak, explore some caverns..."

"It isn't just the traveling I miss." Ashei reminded her husband, to which he countered, "You know that's not wise. You're still nursing, and until I'm confident Leviah can defend herself, it'd be foolish to take them with us."

"So we let the kids stay with Rusl and Saffir when we're gone. I know the two of them wouldn't mind. Hell, sometimes I think Esekel prefers it there."

"You really want to leave them here while we disappear for a month or two?" His wife pondered the thought briefly before shaking her head. "That wouldn't be right of us. I'd probably miss the kids too much in the process too. Maybe if it was just for a couple of days."

"For an adventure? Impossible. _Romantic getaway_ , on the other hand? _Very_ possible." He shot her a coy look, which she returned. "Ooh! You have something in mind?"

"Well, there's the celebration coming up in a couple weeks."

"Not the same thing; that's a family getaway."

"I suppose it has been awhile since we've had some 'us' time." Link scrolled through a series of ideas before he came up with the one that sounded best to him. "Maybe a nice relaxing swim in Lake Hylia."

"Oh, that would be _so_ divine! _Now_ I know why I married you!" She reached over to kiss her husband, whom reciprocated it. As they embraced each other, Link couldn't help but brush her hair. He sighed, slightly disappointed. Ashei noticed, breaking away to confront him. "What is it now?"

"Nothing. I just...I really liked your hair when it was longer."

"So did I, but I prefer not having the baby puke in it as well. Apparently I can't have it both ways." Ashei giggled, self-consciously putting a hand through her hair as well. It wasn't incredibly short, but it didn't quite reach her shoulders as it had before. Link's smile broadened. "And yet, I'm not allowed to grow out my facial hair."

"Well that's just because every time I kissed you when you had it, it felt like I was kissing a dog."

"How would you know what that feels like?" Link asked jocularly. She held up a warning finger before playfully slapping his face. Link feigned shock. "Oh! I guess you _don't_ slap harder than the average girl!"

The two began to chuckle as Ashei tried to hit him harder, while he kept out of reach. They continued this game until Leviah and Esekel climbed up the ladder, covered in drying cloths, and giggling. Their parents could still tell that their kids' attempt to dry themselves off was still half-hearted, but it was a step up from previous tries. The children then halted in front of Link giving him the biggest pout. "Daddy, will you tell us a bedtime story, please?"

Their father replied kindly. "All right, but you better be ready and in bed when I come up there and tell it to you."

The two kids rushed up the stairs leading to their bedroom. Their father reflected fondly on how he used to sleep in the higher reaches of his old treehouse, before it had been burnt to the ground. Now, they lived in a fairly modern cabin, though it too was built within the hollow of an old tree. He and his beloved's bedroom was one floor above, while their kids were on the top. They had create a fourth floor below them to fit the new bathroom. Being underground, it was often very dark, but a pair of oil lamps had been mounted on the wall by the ladder, as was one in the bathroom. As much as he liked his old home, it just couldn't compare to the one that he made with Ashei.

Link gave the kids a couple minutes to finish getting ready for bed before ascending the stairs up to them. Before he did that, however, he made sure to kiss Ashei once more. When he finally left, he called out to his kids. "I hope you're both ready, because I'm coming up!"

When he reached the top, he found both Leviah and Esekel innocently waiting in their respective beds in dry sets of clothes. They were on opposite sides of the room, separated by a large chest below a single window. On the other side were dresser drawers. It was not a large room, but it served its purpose very well.

"Okay, kids, was there a particular story you wanted to hear?"

Before Esekel had any time to think, Leviah piped up. "I wanna hear about the three goddesses again!"

"Sure. Just as long as Esekel doesn't mind." The boy silently shrugged his shoulders. "That's right, you haven't heard this one yet. Well, it's about time you did."

Link sat down on the end of Esekel's bed and began the story, using his arms to form grand gestures. "Before time began, before spirits and life existed, three goddesses descended upon the chaos that was Hyrule: Din the goddess of power, Nayru the goddess of wisdom, and Farore the goddesses of courage. Din, with her flaming arms, cultivated the land and created the red earth. Nayru poured her wisdom onto the earth and gave the spirit of law to the world. Farore, with her rich soul, produced all life forms who would uphold the law."

At this point, Link stood up to finish the story. "The three goddesses, their labors completed, departed for the heavens. And golden sacred triangles remained at the point where the goddesses left the world. Since then, the sacred triangles have become the basis of our world's providence."

"And you have the Triangle of Courage, yeah daddy?"

"I do indeed, dear. But it's actually called the Tri _force_ of Courage." He showed his hand to her so that she could see the mark again. It appeared as if it shimmered for a second before fading back to normal. After he showed it to Esekel, he started tucking his kids in.

"Dad?" Esekel griped. "That story was too short."

"Well, I'll let you pick the next one, and make it sure it's a bit longer."

"Daddy?" It was Leviah's turn to pipe up. "Have you ever seen a goddess?"

"No, I haven't. The goddesses haven't appeared before our kind in mille-... a _really_ long time."

"Why is that?"

Link thought the question over for a brief moment. "Well, some people say it's because they are no longer needed here. We've finally learned to take care of ourselves."

" _Is_ that why?"

"I don't know, Lee." He chortled, calling her by her favorite nickname. "But I hope it's true."

"So how will we ever know for sure?" Esekel chimed back in. Link gave him another warm smile. "Maybe they _will_ reveal themselves again. Otherwise, you just need to have faith."

" _Faith_? What's that?" Link again had to ponder over his answer: "Faith is the belief in something that you can't necessarily see or know with absolute certainty. It's like when your mother and I first began teaching you to read."

He shifted himself around to face Leviah. "Do you remember how hard you thought it was at first to just remember the alphabet? You said you wanted to give it up on your first day, but I told you that if you gave it time, you'd figure it out. And you did. When you believed me, that was a show of your faith in me."

"But I only kept at it because you told me to."

"I suppose you _did_ needed a little nudging. But do you at least understand what I mean now about faith?" Both kids shook their heads. Slightly frustrated at his failed attempt, he just kept up his smile as he told them, "We'll talk about it again, sometime, when you're older. But now it's time to sleep."

Link started off towards the stairs, stopping only at the door. Then he turned to his kids one last time. "Leviah, Esekel, I love you both."

"I love you too, daddy." The children sang in unison.

"Good night, kids."

"Good night."

His work complete, Link strolled down the staircase. He sat back down next to Ashei, seeing that she'd fallen asleep while rocking the baby again. Deciding that it would be best to leave her be, he examined the letter from Zelda once more. Something in the back of his head wouldn't let him rest until he could figure out what she meant. Silently, he prayed to the goddesses that it was nothing serious. The last thing he wanted was to leave his family for a long period of time. But if the queen _was_ in need of Hyrule's hero, then she would have him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"The...kiiii-...the kii-" Leviah squinted at the book, as if the word would suddenly jumble in her mind and become readable. Her mother assisted the girl with the troublesome syllables. " _King_ dom. Remember what sound an 'ng' makes."

"The kingdom...became so proud of itself...it failed to reelize th-"

"Re _a_ lize, honey. That word is one of the exceptions of the rule."

"Mommy, this is too hard! I can't remember all these words!"

"It's okay, Lee. Take your time, you'll figure it out, and your father and I will help you when you falter. Besides, you know what the word 'realize' means, yeah?" Leviah nodded. "Then memorizing the spelling will come naturally. The more you read, the better you'll get at it; just like your sword fighting."

Ashei moved over to see how Esekel was doing on his writing. He had finished the alphabet up to the letter 'S', but had stopped. "Something wrong?"

"I can't remember the next letter."

"It's written down just in front of you." His mother pointed at the script she'd made earlier for him to copy. Esekel clearly didn't use it. "I know what they look like, I just can't remember what order they go in."

Ashei patted him on the back. "Then don't worry about the order. Just write them down as you like it."

She took a quick glance out the window, determining the time of day. "Finish up that page, Leviah; and Esekel, finish your alphabet. Once you're done, you're free to play."

The young girl speedily tried to read the last paragraph of the page, not caring if she did so accurately. "The kingdom became so proud of itself, it failed to realize that it had lost all cunn-ec-tun with the rest of the world. The ruler of Silidan shunned all others and is-ol-ated his kingdom so that he would never have to see those that he per-kay-ved as 'lesser.' It hasn't chang'd in two hundred years."

Leviah slammed the book closed and ran outside with wings on her feet. "Bye, mommy! I'll see you later!"

As she disappeared from sight, Esekel rushed to follow her. "Leviah! Wait up for me!"

Ashei shook her head. She knew she shouldn't have told them that, realizing after the fact, that they'd only do a clumsy job on their work. She gathered up their materials and placed them inside their school drawer. Her mind then began to swirl as she remembered her own classes as a child. She recalled the time she sneaked away while her father ranted about the state of the hylian military when he was supposed to be lecturing on how a military worked. School was never fun for her, except when learning how to fight.

As she stood daydreaming, her hand came across the side where she used to wear her sword. She groaned, wishing it was still there. Link had insisted that they kept their weapons locked away in their room ever since Leviah had cut herself with his. She knew he was right, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

As if on cue, Link emerged from the stairs above. He reached for his boots in front of the door, dusting them lightly before putting them on.

"Where are you off to this morning?" Ashei asked. "Not to the castle to ask Zelda to explain herself?"

"Ha, ha." Link replied dryly while grabbing some papers he'd left on the table the night before. "Actually, I'm going to see Rusl. I have some ideas on expanding the village. I'll only be gone for a couple of hours."

He pulled Ashei close and kissed her. "Don't even think about prepping supper if I'm late. I've got it this time."

"Well, well. I guess I've got the day off too, yeah?"

"What are you talking about? You still have to take care of the baby."

"Yerik's still snoozing and he's not a chore. Say 'hi' to Rusl and Saffir for me." They embraced once more and Link left. With the house quiet, Ashei decided to take a bath before Yerik would inevitably wake up. Before climbing down the ladder to the lower level, she peeked into her bedroom to see if the baby was still sleeping. Satisfied with the what she saw, she crept back to the bathroom.

Thanks to a new plumbing system introduced by Silidan, water could be pumped into a large basin that could be heated from below. One could then pour it into the tub directly with a tube, saving the user lots of time and necessity of a second hand.

Ashei quickly began heating the water and disrobed. Waiting on the water, she found herself looking over her body. She hadn't quite gotten rid of her baby weight, reminding her that she still needed to get back into her training regime. She also noticed that living under the Ordon sun had given her some unwanted tanlines. Whenever Link would decide to make their trip to Lake Hylia, she was going to have to fix that as well. Everything else pleased her.

The water basin was hot and steaming, so Ashei let the water into the tub. She then dipped a hand to estimate its temperature, and found it just to her liking. Immediately after placing her feet in, she tried to slide down, slowly. Unfortunately, she slipped on the unexpectedly slippery surface, banging her head on the rim of the metallic tub as she fell. In her moment of searing pain, she swore loudly and rubbed her newly formed bump.

From the other room, the baby started to cry, and after hearing him do so, Ashei considered doing the same.

* * *

The tug on the fishing pole was strong. Leviah pulled with all her might; she wouldn't allow herself to be beaten by a mere fish. She struggled for several minutes, but in the end, she couldn't endure. The pole slipped out of her hands and fell into the pond. Esekel laughed heartily at her misfortune.

"It's because you're doing it wrong." He explained to her. "You have to wear the fish out. Let him waste his energy, not the other way around."

Leviah just rolled her eyes and stared at the pond. Esekel was smart for his age, but he preferred learning skills that Leviah found to be useless; that or he just took the fun out of everything.

Her fishing rod finally floated to the surface, but it was several yards from the bank. She dove into the water to grab it before it drifted away. Her speedy hands snatched it quickly. As she returned to shore, she could hear Esekel calling to her. "You know dad's gonna make you take a bath again."

Leviah didn't respond. She merely pulled Esekel in with her. The boy scolded his older sister, but she couldn't help smiling through the whole ordeal. "You might as well enjoy yourself, yeah? You're gonna get a bath now, too."

"Yeah." He replied, still disappointed. Leviah felt a little bit bad for the way she treated her brother. She just wanted him to stop pretending to act so mature. After all, he was younger by four years. If anyone should have been acting mature, it was her. With that in consideration, she decided that maybe an apology was in order. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Esekel splashed water in her direction. "Yeah, that was a good idea!"

The boy continued to toss water at her, so Leviah decided to forget her apology and fight back. She countered with a two-handed splash to his face, but Esekel had ducked under the water. When he emerged, he brought a powerful wave, but Leviah caught him first, dousing him with a vengeance.

The two continued this game for quite a while, with no plans to end it. However, a new idea shortly entered Leviah's mind.

"Hey, Esekel!" She had to shout to be heard over the sound of her brother's barrage of water. He halted his assault after one last pelt to her face. "What?!"

Leviah pushed back to the shore. "Let's race! We'll start here and go to the far end and back. Whaddya think?"

Esekel grunted. "Aw, come one! You've beaten me every other time we've raced. It's no fun when I always lose.

"It's not about winning. It's about trying as hard as you can." Leviah quoted her father while doing her best impression of him. Esekel was not impressed, which made her roll her eyes again. "Fine! I'll give you a head start."

Esekel immediately charged to the far side of the pond. Leviah gave him a second or so before falling into pursuit. Although Esekel's technique was slightly better than Leviah's, he had the misfortune of being quite small for his size. That only made it more painfully obvious when going up against someone like Leviah, who was much larger than him. It also meant that he wasn't going to give up this time.

Esekel tagged the far cliff, spun around and headed back to the dock. He caught a quick glance of Leviah on his right, already beginning to catch up. His arms were growing tired, but he ignored the pain, finding it far less important than winning. He pressed on and on until he caught sight of his destination. At that moment, he let his legs do the majority of the work, having lost feeling in his arms.

He'd slowed slightly, but as he grabbed hold of the dock, he was confident that he was the victor. Catching his breath, Esekel turned to look for Leviah. To his dismay, she was already next to him, hand on the dock. He knew she wasn't there before him, so he felt no shame in gloating. "Looks like I won for once."

"What are you talking about? I beat you without a doubt."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

This being the first time a race had been so close, they failed to realize that they needed a judge to determine the winner. It took them a couple moments of arguing before that thought occurred to Leviah. "Look, we'll get Sage to watch and we'll do it again. Does that sound fair?"

"Fine." The two kids climbed out out of the pond and ran over to Rusl's house. Sage was Rusl and Saffir's child. She was about Esekel's age, and had been friends with him for as long as they could remember. Despite her predisposition towards him, she had an unnatural tendency to be ridiculously fair in competitions, which was why Leviah had no problem making her their judge.

Rusl had become the new mayor of Ordon, and had decided to have his house also serve as an inn for travelers passing to and from Hyrule. He was currently seated outside on a bench discussing work with Link when Leviah and Esekel approached. Seeing the two come up from behind Link, Rusl greeted them warmly. "Well, good morning to you two!"

"Hi Uncle Rusl!" Leviah replied. Their father glanced over to see his kids soaking wet. "Swimming in the pond?"

"Yes, daddy." Leviah was good at charming her father, but she had her limits. Link shook his head, but he still held his smile. "Well, as long as you know what that means, I don't mind."

"Thanks, daddy!" She quickly hugged Link before turning to Rusl again. "Uncle Rusl, can Sage come out and play with us? We need someone to watch us race."

"I'm not sure she's done with her schooling yet, but I don't see why not once she is." He called her daughter up front. Sage raced outside to meet her friends. As she confirmed that she was done with her homework, Rusl permitted her to play with the others. The three kids raced back towards the pond.

"So," Rusl began. "Where were we?"

"Right." Link pulled the last of his papers out. "You noticed that the goats have multiplied faster than we've anticipated, yeah?"

Rusl stifled a laugh, but Link caught it. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing much. You just seem to have finally picked up one of Ashei's habits." Realizing what he'd done, Link had a mild chuckle himself. Rusl refocused the conversation by answering the first question. "And yes, I noticed the goats."

"Okay, so unless we decide to cut down the herd, we need to expand the ranch. The problem is that where the ranch stands now, it can't grow anymore."

"You have a place in mind to put up a new ranch?"

"Yes," Link began pointing to various places on his map. "If we cut the trees down here, here and here, we'll have enough room for them."

"And what of the old ranch?" Rusl inquired, to which Link replied, "Turn it into a garden; we can always use more vegetation."

"I don't know. It still puts the goats pretty far from the water." Link shook his head. "Not at all. It's downhill of the pond. All we'd have to do is make a ditch and the water will naturally flow down to make a new pool for them to drink."

"Which we'll also have to make." Rusl started nodding his head. "Okay, this looks good. We might be able to start the project sometime next month."

"Next month? Why not next week?"

"I'd rather not begin something that I may have to place on hold for an undetermined period of time."

"Why would tha-..." Link paused, the idea dawned on him. "Did you get a letter from Zelda as well?"

"Yes, I did. You too?" Link nodded. "It came when I was gone to Kakariko. She seemed vague on whatever it is that may 'require our services'."

"Well, I myself haven't heard anything serious that would indicate something like a call to arms."

Link crossed his arms in thought. "Maybe I'm just over-reacting. If it were serious she would have said so."

"Has this been on your mind that long?" Rusl joshed. "Stop worrying about it."

Link accepted his friend's words. "I should be getting home. I need to fix Leviah's sword."

He stood up and went his way home. He could hear his kids arguing by the pond as he strolled by. Sounded like Leviah had won again, and was bragging over her victory. Link reminded himself to talk to her about humility later.

While sauntering over the step of their porch, he could hear Ashei humming a lullaby to help quiet Yerik. She'd learned it from her father as he'd sung to her when she was still a child. It warmed Link's heart knowing that Ashei kept the fondest memories of her father alive. The news of his death had hurt her greatly, but she recovered quickly with Link's help. Perhaps that was when she first loved him, but she refused to show it while he still loved Ilia.

Link quietly entered the house, doing his best not to awake the sleeping child in Ashei's arms. She was still humming the tune as he walked by, but then spoke to him in sing-song, so as not to break its tone or rhythm. " The next time you forget to clean the tub when the kids are done, I will wring your neck ."

" I promise I won't forget next time ." Link sang back to her, heading upstairs to their bedroom where he'd stashed the wooden sword. Just before he was out of sight, Ashei gave one last remark.

"Also, no sex tonight."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Hyah!" Leviah swung her sword down, but Link blocked it with his own. She quickly rebounded with a swipe to the side. Her father parried it away. "You're doing better, my girl. Don't forget your defense, though."

Leviah kept pressing forward, edging Link back further. He watched her movements with a keen eye, seeing her flow from one attack to another. She had a tenacity even he lacked at her age, but she had much to learn before she would ever reach his level of skill. He already spotted three different serious faults in her stance and attack pattern. "Pull back a bit. You're pushing too hard and too fast."

She didn't listen. The moment she had Link against the rocks she swung one final time. Link countered, sending her strike far to the right. As she followed through, she tripped over Link's foot and fell to the ground. Before she could get up, a sword was held at her back, keeping her down. "I warned you, Lee, if you are all attack and no defense, someone will break your guard."

"Unless she was fast and strong enough to not allow an attempt in the first place." Ashei called out from the other side of the yard. She was working on a painting while she watched and listened to the lesson. Link rolled his eyes. "Maybe when she's older, but it's wiser for her to learn a more balanced style until then."

"The younger she is, the better she'll learn, yeah?" Ashei countered. Link was about to continue the argument, but felt they were losing focus. He let Leviah up and asked her directly. "Li'l Lee, since you are the one that needs a teacher, do you want me, or your mom to do it?"

"Um..." Leviah stood there thinking it over. Shortly, a wicked grin streaked her face. "I know! I'll learn from whoever beats the other in a duel!"

Link winced, knowing full well what the outcome of that would be. Though they hadn't practiced together in a while, Link always had the edge, and had yet to lose to Ashei. Of course, his wife would never back down from a challenge. She had already gotten up from her seat and strutted over to her husband. She took Leviah's sword in hand and pointed it at her husband. "You heard the girl: we'll settle this like warriors."

Link relinquished his reservations and raised his own blade, tapping hers to signal he was ready. Ashei moved fast, pressing the attack with unrivaled ferocity. She came in high and low, doing her best to nullify any attempts for counters. Link did not give up any ground like he allowed Leviah earlier.

As the two exchanged strikes, Rusl happened by and saw the fight. He moved next to Leviah to get a better view. "Where's Esekel?"

"Inside, trying to build his own fishing rod." Leviah didn't let her eyes off the dancing blades. Rusl too, had become enthralled with the two, gauging them closely.

Ashei was still on the attack, but she'd finally gotten Link to back up. Her strikes had increased in strength, so he knew that she only had a couple minutes before she'd wear out; probably less since she wasn't at her fittest. Nevertheless, he couldn't let his guard down until that moment.

"What's she doing?" Rusl thought out loud. This was her normal style of fighting, but it was played a bit too quickly. Link had noticed as well, but had marked it off as compensation for her weaker state. The barrage of thrusts and slashes continued to keep Link at bay. Soon, he found himself against the rocks again, but the opening he'd expected had yet to reveal itself.

All of a sudden, Ashei pressed even faster. Somehow, she'd been reserving her strength for an even more powerful advance. Though surprised, he did not allow her through his defenses. It was only a matter of time before she'd waver.

"Wait a minute..." Rusl had finally figured out her plan, but didn't dare warn Link if he hadn't yet done the same. Ashei's attacks had slowed ever so slightly, but it wasn't time yet. He waited patiently until... _there_!

Immediately after deflecting Ashei's attack, he saw the opening. He stepped forward while bringing up his counter...and felt the sting of her blade against his side. He stammered back, lost his balance, and fell to the ground, confused by what had just happened. Ashei merely grinned. Her first victory against him had finally been slated, and she had earned it verily.

"Complacency is unbecoming of a hero." She chided her husband.

Link ran through the events again in his head, trying to figure out what he'd done wrong. Seeing him struggle to find the answer, Rusl elucidated it for him. "She caught you in a pattern of movements, increasing her attack to keep your focus on her, rather than yourself."

It made sense to him now. She had led him into that counter, but it was actually a faint. Ashei was right: he'd become complacent while fighting her. Having acknowledged his defeat, he picked himself up and bowed dramatically to the victor. "Looks like I have some learning to do myself."

"Well, this is Leviah's lesson, not yours. So, hand over your weapon to her an-"

"Mom!" Esekel called from the house. "Yerik won't stop crying! I tried rocking him and everything! I think he's hungry!"

"Oh, this just _has_ to be a joke!" Ashei mumbled to herself. She turned to Link, dropping the sword in the process, and sauntered back to the house. "You got lucky, again, but the next lesson will be mine to teach."

"Hey, Esekel!" Rusl shouted up to the boy. "I've brought the line you needed!"

"Thanks, Uncle Rusl!" Esekel rushed outside to take his gift, and, just as quickly, dashed back in. Rusl moved next to Link, still a bit shocked at his defeat. He did his best to console him. "She knows you better than you think."

Link smiled while shaking his head. "She's still testing ground here and there. Speaking of which, did she and Saffir talk recently about...'punishments'?"

Rusl raised an eyebrow. "Did she try to 'close the inn' on you?"

"Didn't just _try_ it."

"You might be able to get back in if you do something really special, and not necessarily something directly related to what shut you down."

"Yeah," The hero agreed, rubbing his still throbbing side. "I'm guessing the goddesses are trying to teach me a little humility."

"Daddy!" Leviah whined, bringing Link's attention back to his daughter. "Sorry, Lee. Let's finish this lesson together."

"Mommy sure got you good, yeah daddy?" Link mussed with her hair. "Yeah, she sure did."

He positioned himself across from his daughter with his sword raised. "But until she starts giving you lessons, I'm teaching you as I see fit."

Leviah nodded her head and signaled her readiness. As expected, she started with a quick offense, while Link held his ground. Rusl continued to watch, giving insight as he saw fit. "Stay light on your feet, Leviah; got to stay agile."

* * *

Of all the times Yerik had to feed, it had to be after Ashei's triumph. Such a reward, she thought. He seemed to be nibbling harder, too. Why he was much more difficult to deal with than the others had been as infants baffled her.

As she rocked her child again, her eyes fell to Esekel stringing up his fishing rod. His stubby fingers were somehow working nimbly about the piece of crafted wood. Within mere minutes, his project was completed. He showed it off to his mother, quite proud. "Mom, look at it! I made it all by myself!"

She nodded and smiled in her typical motherly response. "Yes, you did. Are you going to try it out today?"

"Nah, I was fishing yesterday. I'm gonna work on my other thing." Esekel ran to his room to grab the needed materials. Alongside the fishing rod, the boy had started constructing his own ocarina. To his dismay, it had been far more difficult than he'd anticipated. Finding the right place to put the holes that sounded correct was incredibly challenging, especially since he was tone deaf. It still astounded his mother that he could do as much as he was at his age, and yet was creeping quite slowly in his school work.

He was about to begin chipping in some new holes when Ashei made a request of him. "Esekel, can you fetch my painting materials from outside real fast before you start?"

"Sure, mom." The boy eagerly left the house once more to assist his mother. Realizing that she didn't want to leave it out unattended, she hoped that her child could safely retrieve her art before either Leviah or Link somehow knocked it over, and considering how long she'd worked on that particular painting made it all the more important to her.

After only a minute or so, Esekel returned with the painting and brushes. He placed it against the table in front of Ashei and immediately returned to his project without a word. At first, Ashei was upset to see dirt covering her work, but when she looked at it again, she was actually intrigued. Most of the dirt had actually clung to the paint that represented the earth, giving it an interesting "popping" texture. It made her ponder trying other possible methods that could use earthly elements in her paintings.

Another hard bite reminded Ashei that she couldn't implement anything for the time being. Her hands were busy holding up Yerik. She would have to settle simply with thinking about the possibilities. She felt discouraged that everything she desired at the moment was put on hold for the child; the last vestiges of her more self-centered life still lingering in the back of her mind. She'd always pull through, though, knowing how much the benefits greatly outweighed the detriments, and she wouldn't honestly consider giving up on them.

Eventually, Yerik had quieted down, and came on the verge of sleep. Shortly afterwards, Leviah hopped through the door, putting away her wooden sword before dashing over to see Esekel's completed fishing pole. Link returned as well, but chose to sit next to Ashei on the couch. "If he's done feeding, I'll hold him if you'd like."

Ashei appreciated the gesture and handed the baby over to Link while she examined her painting more closely. After a careful second consideration, she decided against using the dirt for this particular project. Regardless of the added interest it drew, it also clashed with everything else on the canvas. She tore up the painting and tossed the pieces into the nearby waste basket. With a sigh, she picked up her brushes with a new drawing sheet and prepared to go back outside and start again.

"You know," Link's voice halted her series of actions. "That fight got me thinking: when was the last time we'd actually trained together?"

Ashei paused to recall the incident. "I believe it was when I was one-month pregnant with Yerik."

Link nodded once he affirmed the thought in his head. "Perhaps we should start again. I know you've been wanting to get rid of that-"

"If you call it what I think you're going to call it, you're gonna regret it just like yesterday. It's just baby fat."

Link stifled a laugh as to not wake the baby. "All right, fine. That brings up another point, though. That little game you played yesterday: don't think you're the only one who can play it."

"Oh, don't tell me you think _you_ can outlast me." She spoke slyly.

"I am more experienced at it than you may recall. Remember that you weren't the first I played with."

Before Ashei could come up with a witty response, Leviah interrupted with a question. "What kind of game are you guys talking about?"

A slight redness came to Ashei's cheeks, unsure how to answer her question. Luckily, Link was quick to answer. "It's a grown-up game. You'll learn of it when you're old enough. The only thing you need to know right _now_ is that your dad is better at it than your mother."

Ashei immediately recovered her stance with the mention of his quip. "Oh, we'll see about that!"

The baby stirred at the raised voice, which put everything at a standstill, seeing whether or not he would begin crying. For about a minute, there was dead silence. Shortly, the child began to doze once again. In a more whispered tone, Ashei finished her retort. "Starting tonight, you are going to regret saying 'no' to me!"

* * *

It wasn't too late after her bedtime, but Leviah was positive that both her parents were in their respective room. This gave her the confidence that she could easily sneak out of bed without being caught. Slowly and carefully, she descended the stairs to the second floor. The only light in the tiny hall was a lantern which was shut off. The young girl couldn't reach it, so she made it a point to tread the ground very lightly, and carefully.

Eventually she made it to the door of her parents' room. She listened closely for any strange sounds while searching for a large enough crack in the wood panels that would allow her to take a peek inside. The light was still on inside, so finding the small slivers that served as openings were easy, but none were large enough for her to see anything clearly. Finally, she picked one that was near the bottom of the door. Though larger than the others, it wasn't at a great angle, and required her to lay almost flat on the ground to see through.

Then she felt a hand touch her back. Slightly startled, she lurched upward, making the intruder stumble a few steps before recovering. When she saw who it was, she was both relieved and angry at the same time. In as harsh of a whisper as she could make, she lashed out at her younger brother. "What are you doing down here?!"

He replied in the exact same tone. "What am _I_ doing down here?! What are _you_ doing down here?!"

Leviah took a step away from the door, just to be certain their parents couldn't hear them. "Mom and dad said they were going to play a game tonight and I wanted to see what it was."

"They said it was a grown-up game. We can't play it."

"I'm not playing it. I just wanna watch them play it."

"You know that still counts." Esekel continued to fight her all the way.

"Come on! You can't tell me that you're not curious as to what it is now, right? Just listen, yeah?! It's so quiet, they must be up to something!"

Esekel approached the door and put his ear to it. Leviah was correct, it was almost completely silent inside. The only thing he could here was the occasional sound of both parents giggling or groaning, and something else that he couldn't quite figure out. It sounded kind of like they were slapping each other. He would only hear it occasionally, and always in very brief sessions. His curiosity was now at its fullest, and decided to look through the hole himself. That made Leviah upset.

"Hey! It was my idea, I get to look through there!"

"You already were looking when I got here! It's my turn to look now!" Esekel refused to move. Leviah tried to pull him away so that she could take his spot. "I found that one, so I get to use it! Find a different hole!"

The two were too frustrated to realize that they had begun to get louder, and the room had gotten quieter. Before they could figure it out, the door opened and the light shone brightly on their faces. The two looked up to see their father towering above them, arms at his side and wearing his workout clothes.

"Kids..." He began to ask, but never had a chance to finish. Immediately, Esekel began the accusations. "Leviah left the bedroom to see what game you were playing, and I just followed her to get her back!"

"Nuh-uh! The moment I told him what I was doing he took my spot and said I couldn't use it!"

"It was my turn to look!"

"You stole my spot!"

Link just sighed while putting a hand to his forehead to rub his temples. He let the kids go at it just long enough for them to let out their pent up energy. Then he put a hand on each one's shoulders, and the two immediately hushed. "Kids, do you really want to see what we were doing?"

The two nodded wildly. "Then we'll show you."

Link moved away from the door, allowing them to come in and see their mother. Ashei was standing just in front of the bed, also wearing her workout clothes. Link stood exactly opposite of her, and took a stance that was unfamiliar to the two kids. Leviah couldn't find words to describe it, though she was still learning. The two then put their arms up, and connected their wrists with each others. Then they just spun them around a little while; going one way then another, then someone would do something a little fast and try to slap the other. Ashei usually initiated these attempts, but Link would often block her with his arm and counter with a hit of his own. All the hits were fairly soft (though you could hear them connect), but incredibly fast. Leviah never could tell what exactly was going on because of the speed.

It was the most peculiar thing Leviah and Esekel had ever seen. "What are you doing?"

Ashei smiled, not stopping the ritual. "We're 'rolling hands,' Lee."

At that point, Link sped up a spin and tried to hit the side of her head, but it ended with Ashei pushing it away and hitting him right back. Link let out a chuckle, enjoying this workout.

"Is this that game you were talking about earlier?" Esekel asked her sister, who was just as confused as she. Both parents had to stop to laugh a little more loudly, but Ashei answered afterwards. "No. No, this is very different from that game. We can probably teach you _this_ one later if you wish."

"But _not_ the other one." Link intervened. "Sorry, kids, but like I said before, it really is a grown-up game."

He went back over to the kids once more and kneeled down to their level. "I don't want to find you two spying on us again."

"Why?" Esekel asked.

"Because you are supposed to obey us." Ashei took the reigns on the conversation. "Kids, we've been good parents to you, yeah?"

Their children nodded.

"Then you need to trust us when we tell you that you're not old enough to understand, and that it is improper for you to watch us if we're playing that game. Do you understand, Lee?"

"Yes, mommy." She hung her head low, feeling guilty.

"Do you understand, Esekel?" His father inquired.

"Yes, dad." He followed suit.

Link smiled and patted them both on the back. "Good. Now, off to bed; both of you."

He helped them out the door, turning the lantern on long enough for them to see their way up the stairs. As they made their ascent, he called out, "Don't forget: we're letting you off easy this time. If we do catch you trying to sneak a peak, your mother will get re-e-e-ally angry."

"Won't forget, daddy." Leviah remarked.

Link returned to the bedroom and closed the door firmly behind him. Now Ashei was glaring at him with her hands on her waist. "'Your _mother_ will get angry'?"

"You implying you wouldn't?" Link asked with a smirk.

"Are you implying _you_ wouldn't?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "There is no way I'm going to let you win this 'game' now."

"All right, all right. I'll ease up on the teasing." He got up and took her hands into his. "But if we are going to play this game, shouldn't we commemorate it by making love once more before we start?"

Ashei sighed. "I suppose, but not until we finish this exercise."

She immediately went for another slap, which Link blocked. They continued their rolling exercise for a while longer. A thought suddenly occurred to Ashei. "You know, if 'the game' is actually us seeing who can hold out longer, then aren't the kids technically going to be watching us play it on a regular basis?"

"They don't have know that. Besides, do you still want to explain to them what we're holding out on?"

"I suppose not." Link attempted another strike to the face, but Ashei was able to counter and put him in a hold, almost throwing him over. He tapped out, and she helped him up. With another grin, Ashei began to boast. "That's two for me right now. The way things are, I think we can already expect who'll win the last one."

"I dunno. We'll just have to see..."

Forty minutes later, the two were lying next to each other in bed, glistening with sweat and breathing laboriously. Link looked over to his wife, speaking between his gasps. "Goddesses! This is going to be painful to beat you."

Ashei tilted her head over to her husband. "After _that_? I don't even care anymore. You win. Let's go again."

AN: The "rolling hands" exercise is taken straight out of Wing Chun (some variants called 'sticky hands').


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"It's coming!" Leviah shouted while running back to the house. "The wagon from Silidan is coming!"

Link peaked his head out the window to see the commotion. His little girl stopped running just before the porch and yelled to her parents and brother inside. "I saw Mizu with them!"

Link turned to look at his wife. She was still feeding Yerik on the couch, but she easily heard everything that was said. She begrudgingly motioned Link to go on ahead of her, which he complied. "I'll be out shortly, Lee!"

Esekel was out the door like a bolt of lightning. As soon as Link finished putting on his boots, he briskly followed after him. He spotted Leviah heading towards the center of the village. Just as his daughter said, a wagon from the south had arrived with several people on board. Mizu was already on the ground playing with the other village children. Leviah and Esekel quickly joined them, waving for her attention almost immediately.

Sitting at the front of the wagon was Lady Sil, conversing with Rusl at the side. Link chose to join them. Strolling up beside Rusl, he nodded respectfully towards the noble woman. "Greetings from Hyrule. I hope I'm not interrupting."

"No, not at all, Link." Lady Sil shook his hand. Her age had finally begun to show in her frail voice and rough skin. Her hair had also began to gray, but it took him slightly longer to realize it. "I'll always appreciate what you've done for us."

"And it's always nice to be appreciated." Link remarked. "I take it you're heading to the castle for the celebration?"

"I will be, but for this week, I hope to relax here. I prefer the more peaceful atmosphere of a ranch village."

"I've already told her she and Mizu will be living with my family." Rusl explained to Link. He then turned back to Sil. "Whenever you'd like, we'll help unload your belongings."

"Thank you." The aging woman stepped down from the wagon, allowing the two men to grab her bags. "Tell me, how's Ashei doing?"

"She's doing great. She's feeding our youngest at the moment, but she may come out with him in a little bit."

"Fine, fine. Perhaps she would like to eat dinner with us tonight? I assume there is room for them as well?"

"There always is." Rusl proclaimed while carrying her bags back to the house. "It will be nice to catch up before the celebration."

* * *

"By the goddesses, Link!" Lady Sil laughed as she captured his pawn on g4 with her own. "You've no idea what you just let me do."

"Sure I do." Link insisted. "You gave me a knight for a pawn. Seems like an obvious trade."

"Have you considered that maybe that was the point of my move? After all, my pawn is now attacking your other knight on King's Bishop Three."

"That's okay, I can still move him back to King One." As he did so, he heard Ashei call out from the living room. "Did I hear you just fall for the Fishing Pole Trap?"

"What?" Link called back, but it was too late. Sil brought her queen up to h4. It was only at that moment that Link saw what would happen. He murmured to himself, "Trapped by my own castling. Drat! How was I to avoid that?!"

"By not taking the trade," Lady Sil explained, putting the pieces back to just before he captured her knight. "Or by not castling the move before."

"Augh!" Link threw his arms up in defeat. As soon as he calmed down, he spoke earnestly. "I don't know how I'll ever get this right. I've memorized the openings and defenses I've been taught. How is it that they don't help me at all?"

"Because you don't know _why_ you're making these moves. Everything is about controlling the board, and if you don't pay attention to what these different openings actually do, you won't recognize their significance."

"So teach me again. I need to figure this out."

"Let me think." Lady Sil placed a hand on her chin as she contemplated how to best train the struggling beginner. "Perhaps I should show you some more obscure strategies that are played out well. Let's reset the board and I'll show you the Bird's Opening."

As the teacher and student continued their next lesson, Ashei sipped on some tea with Rusl and Saffir in their living room. They'd been discussing travel plans for the celebration and had just concluded that they should arrive a day before the festivities. Ashei hoped the extra time would be useful should any last minute purchasing be needed at the castle market.

"You know," Saffir began to change the subject. "Despite his struggles, I think Link has been learnin' a lot tonight. Why haven't you been teachin' him? Oh, I don't mean to accuse you of anythin' but it seems like he is plenty capable of gettin' better if you gave him a chance, Ashei."

"I'm really not a great teacher; just ask my kids. Besides, if I taught him everything I know, he'll always beat me. That's what happened when I learned everything from Shad."

"Then why can't Shad teach him? Oh, no. That won't do at all either even if he were able to visit more often."

"Besides, Shad's got his own partner to play with." Rusl interjected. "But personally, I think that this is just another thing for you to hang over Link's head."

"What are you babbling about?" Ashei inquired. Rusl explained. "Nothing much. I'm just hypothesizing that if you did teach him and he did turn out to be stronger than you, then you wouldn't be able to remind him that you're better than him at something."

"I'm not worried about being in his shadow. I'd have thought that our dealings in Silidan were enough to show that we were all equals from that day on."

"It's not that. I'm speaking from experience here. Most couples and families like to compete with each other, even in little things. You may not have noticed it yet, but it happens. I can recall several little competitions I had with Uli. Saffir and I have done the same."

"Oh, I have _never_ competed with you over menial thangs." Saffir protested, acting as if she was hurt by his words. Ashei chose to do the same. "Neither have I with Link. Even if I had, I certainly wouldn't have started it."

"Are you both honestly trying to tell me," Rusl did his best to hold back a grin, "That you don't compete with us?"

"No!"

"Never!"

"Really?" Rusl hollered back to the dining room. "Link! Why were you and Ashei sword-fighting a week ago?"

Link responded in kind. "We were trying to decide who would teach Leviah swordplay."

"Well, that doesn't count." Ashei insisted. "It was all Leviah's idea."

"Was that the only competition you had that day?" Rusl kept his questions directed towards Link.

"No, we also fought during our rolling hands exercise. Then there was...well, we had another later that evening."

"Later? Now, what kind of game were you-" Saffir gasped as she suddenly realized what he meant. "You were tryin' to see who could hold out longer!"

"Oh, don't get like that." Ashei shot back at her. "You were the one that told me to try it, yeah?"

"It's supposed to teach them a lesson! It's not supposed to devolve into a...a... _sex game_!"

"Saffir!" Rusl chuckled between breaths. "That's exactly what happened to us three nights ago!"

"Can we stop talking about it?" Ashei requested while looking to her infant child lying next to her. "I'd rather if Yerik didn't have to listen to us prattle on about our sex lives."

"I doubt he'll remember anything at his age." Rusl remarked. "I certainly didn't."

"Well, I'll oblige you, honey." Saffir exclaimed. "Even if my husband won't."

"I'm obliging!" He claimed while still laughing. "Look, I'm not saying these competitions are bad. It's just that if you're not aware of it, they can sometimes spiral out of control. The sooner you realize it's happening, the better chances you have of avoiding that outcome."

"Fine! I admit it." Ashei rolled her eyes. "But I'd appreciate some recognition. We're not the only ones who start these things."

"Yes, but I wasn't the one denying it. In fact, that bout Saffir and I had three days ago was because I said my goat roast was better than hers."

"So you think I'm not teaching Link because subconsciously I don't want him to be able to eventually beat me, yeah?"

"It's a thought. But then again, I haven't attended your lessons with him. Maybe you are just a poor teacher."

She knew he was only poking light fun at her. In fact, everything he'd said over the subject was, so it became impossible for her to be offended. She just shook her head while smiling before changing the subject once more. "So how about you two; plan on having another child?"

"We might, bu-"

The door to their house burst open as three children rushed through screaming with excitement while Mizu chased them all inside. The kids dispersed to different parts of the house, and Mizu halted her pursuit to quietly shut the door. "The rain finally came. I figured you'd appreciate it if I brought the kids inside."

"Very thoughtful of you." Saffir proclaimed. "I bet you'll make an excellent mother one day."

"Whatever did happened to Wil?" Ashei asked. Mizu replied plainly, "It just didn't work out between us. No matter how hard I tried, he just wouldn't break out of his shell."

"Sorry to hear that." Rusl sympathized with her. "But I'm sure you'll meet someone at the festival."

"I hope to. If you'll excuse me, I think the kids wanted to play hide-and-seek, and I believe I've given them enough time to hide."

The young woman began to creep around the house looking for the three children. Almost immediately, she found Esekel underneath the dining table where Link and Sil were playing. As she bent down to touch him, she called out. "Gotcha! Better luck next time!"

Esekel sighed as he got out from underneath the table and sat next to his father. He decided to watch the game while waiting for the others. He'd been taught how to play chess before, but was not familiar with any strategies. "Whatcha doin' dad?"

Link glanced at his son before focusing back at the game. "I'm trying to decipher the Fried Liver Attack."

"Fried Liver Attack?"

"That's right."

"I don't like fried liver."

"You've never _had_ fried liver, Esekel."

"Well, I don't like it anyway."

"Of course, you wouldn't." Link smiled at his child again. He then pulled the boy up from his seat and placed him on his lap, giving Esekel a better view of the board. "Do you know what to do here?"

"Uh-uh." The boy shook his head.

"Neither do I." He concentrated on the board as hard as he could. He was playing white, trying to determine what his next move was. Black had just placed a pawn to d5, blocking his bishop from supporting his knight in pressuring the f7 square. Eventually, he just decided to take the pawn on d5 with his from e4. Lady Sil approved. "Good. That was the correct move."

She responded by taking back the pawn with her knight on f6, exposing Link's knight to a possible attack by her queen. "Remember: this is a highly aggressive attack. The next move should indirectly put pressure on the king."

Link began running various possible strategies through his head, but his son interrupted him. "Daddy, what does she mean: 'inderectly'?"

"She means that the move I make should make her king want to move, even though it doesn't actually _have_ to."

"Oh...you mean like on that square?" The boy pointed to f7 which his father examined again.

"Well...I suppose so, but I'd lose my knight immediately afterwards if I took it."

"Try it anyway." The child insisted. With nothing to lose, he moved his knight onto f7, capturing the lowly pawn. In its new position, it had the ability to attack either Sil's queen or her rook in the corner. If the noble moved one, he could take the other, so the only logical response was for the king to capture the knight, which she did.

"Another point of this attack is to remind you that it's not always about the number of pieces you possess, but how many pieces you have active on the board. With that in mind, continue putting pressure on the king."

The next move came easily enough for Link, though he almost made the wrong move before his teacher mentioned his next motive. The hylian brought out his queen to f3, putting the black king in check. Lady Sil fixed the situation by moving the king to e6. "A brief interlude: why is this the only viable move?"

"Well..." Link gathered his thoughts as he talked it out. "Moving him back to King's Knight Eight would only end in a checkmate after only a couple moves. King's Knight Six just puts him really far away from any viable defenders. You could have exchanged queens, but it's rarely a good idea to waste a powerful piece when it doesn't soon lead to victory. Why not King Seven or Eight?"

"King Seven blocks out the dark-squared bishop, while losing the knight on Queen Five. King Eight can lead to both black knights, a pawn, and a rook being lost, though it would take several moves." She paused a moment before giving Link his next assignment. "Now the King is out in the open but he has some protection. The best way to nullify his defenders is to bring in more attackers. What's your next best move?"

Another glance at the board made it obvious that the only option he had was to bring his last knight to c3. A nod of approval from Sil confirmed it. "Now from here on out, there are several deviations that black can make, but for the sake of continuing the lesson, I'll be picking one in particular."

The elder woman took her knight on c6 down to b4. "This will probably be the hardest move for you to decide. Remember the theme of unit activeness we're looking for. What move can you make that will either give you more active units, _or_ turn mine inactive?"

It was a very difficult request. The knight was in position to capture a pawn at c2. That would also attack both his king and his rook; similar to what he'd done with his own knight, but with no immediate defenders to stop him. He thought about moving his king to d1, but that would only prevent the knight from moving, and wouldn't follow the theme of the lesson. He was truly stumped at this point.

"Queen's Rook Three."

Link looked down at the boy in his lap. "What was that?"

"Pawn to Queen's Rook Three."

He looked at the move, but that just seemed ridiculous. It would likely only force the knight into taking c2. He was trying to avoid that. "I'm not sure that's right, kiddo."

"I'm not a 'kiddo,' dad, and I really think you should move there."

"He's actually right." Sil said with a wide grin on her face.

"What?"

"That's the best move." She maneuvered the different pieces to show him. "You're correct in thinking that it will likely force the knight into Queen's Bishop Two, but that is actually best. You counter by moving your king to Queen One, getting him out of check, putting more pressure onto the knight and opening up passage for your king's rook to join the attack. If black is more interested in getting a powerful piece, and takes the queen's castle, then he just turned that piece inactive. He can't escape that corner with your king and bishop guarding both possible retreating squares."

"But I still lose a rook. That's another piece I _could_ have active."

"But you probably wouldn't; not without wasting time you _could_ spend pressing the attack on black's king at least." She lowered her head to face Esekel. "You, young man, are either really smart, or really lucky."

"Thank you!" The boy hopped down from Link's lap and ran to find his sister, hoping to boast a little about his triumph. The father just sat there flabbergasted. "Okay. What happens next?"

"Well, some center pawn movement will occur before you press the attack on the king again. I expect you'd find that part easy enough. Let's try the preferred counter to the Fried Liver Attack: the Raxlert Variation. A lot of the same principles we've discussed tonight will be important for this strategy."

* * *

By the time Link and his family returned home, the kids were incredibly tired. They went to bed immediately, leaving both parents in the ground floor. Link hunched over the dining table, still pondering over the chess board, while Ashei quietly put Yerik in his cradle. When she returned, she approached Link from behind, wrapped her arms around his waist, and leaned her head onto his shoulder. He leaned back into her and smiled. "Feeling passionate tonight?"

"A bit." She kissed him on the cheek. "But...I feel more like playing a game."

"Of chess?"

"Anything really, but yeah. Chess sounds good right now." She moved to sit opposite of him, playing black. Link opened simply with e4. She responded with e5. "Suppose we make a little wager on this game?"

"Oh?" Link brought up his knight to f3. "What did you have in mind?"

"Let's say that if you win..." She leaned in and whispered in his ear, which perked up at what she suggested. He couldn't keep a straight face. "That's a tall order; and supposing I lose?"

"Then you'll..." She whispered in his ear again, this time making Link's face turn a bit sour. She quickly brought her own knight to c6 before he had time to respond. "Now that's a _really_ tall order, especially considering I'm still a novice compared to you."

"Then I'll add an addendum. Let's just say if you put up a decent game for once, it'll still count as a win for you."

"And who determines whether or not I put up a 'good game'?" He pushed out his light-squared bishop to c4.

"Obviously, _I_ determine that." Ashei followed suit with her dark-squared bishop to c5. Another chuckle from Link came out before he regained his full senses. "You're not the most objective judge...but I accept the terms."

"Good, because it's your move."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The time had finally come. The week preceding the celebration had passed surprisingly quick. Link, Rusl, Sil, and their families had left for Castle Town and had arrived on the afternoon the day before the festivities would begin. All three families found rooms at the inn next to Telma's bar, and had unpacked for the trip. Telma, of course, just had to see the kids, insisting that they called her "auntie," which Leviah agreed to, while Esekel refused.

Ashei forced Link to go to the city tailor to retrieve the outfit she'd ordered for him, and thankfully, it'd turned out to be perfect. Ashei picked up her dress there as well, though she did not allow Link to see her try it on, knowing that he would soon appreciate the wait.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though he was waiting forever. Only an hour before the official celebration began, and Ashei was still in the bathroom "preparing," as she put it. Link could only wait in the hall, sighing heavily, but still with a smile on his face. When he'd first met Ashei, he never would have thought that she truly cared about "looking pretty." He quickly learned otherwise during the celebration held after the defeat of Ganondorf. She proved to him that not only did she care, but that she was quite attractive. At that time, however, he was still with Ilia, and paid little mind to her.

"Dad!" Esekel tugged on his father's golden-colored tunic. Link knew what he was going to ask, so he merely told him, "No, Esekel, you're still going. And don't you start about how you want to leave now, because it's not going to change anything."

"He's just upset 'cuz he hates his tunic." Leviah called from her room.

"It's itchy and I don't like the color." The boy whined. Link took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, doing his best to keep calm as he contemplated his response. He kneeled down to Esekel, as he often did, and looked him in the eyes. "Esekel, you're not always going to get what you want. You're going because your mother and I are going, and we weren't about to leave you and your sister behind in Ordon."

"But Yerik is staying." He tried to force the point.

"Your brother is staying with Buri, only because she decided not to go, and is capable of caring for him. You and Leviah, on the other hand, are a lot more energetic than she can handle right now." Link picked his son up and carried him back to his room. "Besides, you're going to the actual _fun_ party with Mizu."

"Why aren't you going with us?"

"Because you're going to the celebration for everybody." He placed the boy back down. "The one I'm going to is supposed to be for the 'people who made this all possible.' Plus it's a lot fancier and doesn't involve playing any of the games you'll be privy to. Trust me, you're going to have a lot of fun at yours."

The boy still pouted, but he at least finished putting on his new boots. Link finally relaxed as he returned to the hallway. He rapped against the bathroom door once more, just to remind Ashei that they were still waiting on her. She responded by giving the same door a powerful kick. Thankfully, it didn't bust open, but it might as well have been the desired effect, as Ashei only took a couple seconds longer before finally opening the door.

Link was speechless at the sight of her. Her dress was shimmering black with gold trimmings, which complimented his own tunic. The styling was a bit different than most he'd seen too; it lacked the outer garment that often embroidered the sides and tied together at the front. It did still maintain the square-neck and some basic bell sleeves, but there was no elaborate embroidery. It was strangely unique, and he found it absolutely beautiful on her. The only thing he could think of that topped it was her wedding dress.

"Happy I had you wait, yeah?" Ashei spoke slyly.

Link finally stopped admiring the dress, but only because his eyes had made their way up to Ashei's face. Whatever makeup she had used accentuated her eyes and moistened her lips. Her hair, though still rather short, she'd done up in some elaborate braids that he just found absolutely gorgeous.

"Well, I haven't seen you this silent in...years!" Ashei smiled widely as she walked past him over to Leviah and Esekel's room. "Okay, I'm done. Let's get going before we're too late."

"Wow!" Leviah gave a much quicker look over her mother. "I wish I was as pretty as you!"

"Trust me, darling," Ashei said patting her daughter's head. "You won't have to wait that long."

With the kids in tow, Ashei finally was able to get Link to snap out of his trance-like state. The four hurried down the stairs and out the door with Rusl and Sil's families. The sun hadn't quite set yet, so it was easy for them to find their way to the castle. The streets had calmed down a fair amount, but that was because most of the people were already in the castle's courtyard.

Once the company had entered the gates into the courtyard, Mizu took the kids off to the side where the common folk were already gathering. The adults continued to stroll towards the castle proper. Lady Sil took to the front, with Rusl and Saffir right behind her, and Link and Ashei bringing up the rear. The crier happily introduced the first three, but when he saw the Hero of Hyrule, he became ecstatic.

"Introducing Link and Ashei Irnevire!"

He clearly wasn't the only one, as the crowd of people who were already inside the castle began to cheer and applaud loudly. They were all very grateful for them both, Link especially. The hero did his part and waved to everyone, strolling down the crimson carpet with a broad smile on his face. Ashei did the same, reminding everyone of her own role in the conflict twelve years earlier. She would have been furious that she was being overlooked by Link years ago, but after a time and a growing affection for her husband, she didn't let it bother her nearly as much.

Once the couple had reached the apex of the crowd, they deviated from the carpet and moved off to the side. Next to a table full of beverages, they spotted Shad with his wife. He waved to them and called them over. "By the goddesses! It's been too long since we last saw you two!"

"Shad," Link took the scholar's hand firmly into his and shook it vigorously. "Maybe if you two weren't so stuck in the mountains studying those dragons, it wouldn't be so long."

"Ddraigs, Link." Shad corrected him. "They're a very specific _type_ of dragon."

"But dragons, nonetheless." Ashei remarked, giving him a look as if asking 'will you ever change?', but stopped to address his wife. "Marla, it's always nice to see you again."

"And Ashei, I must say you've really surprised me. I didn't expect you to get Link all dressed up for this."

"What? Don't think I can be persuasive when I need to be?"

"Oh, all wives can be persuasive with their husbands." Marla turned back to Link. "I'm sorry, ever since I first met you, I always imagined you to be much more difficult a person."

"It's alright. I was more than a bit unpredictable that day." He replied, recalling the time of that encounter. Leviah had just been born, and Shad had come to visit bringing along Marla. Link had just finished taking care of his child for the first full night, and had become incredibly irritable. He didn't leave a good first impression, but the next time they'd met, she was surprised by his normal disposition. "And how have the ddraig studies been?"

"Well," It was as if he'd just let a fully powered arrow loose as Marla recounted every single detail of their research. As an ethologist, she found each aspect of the ddraigs' lifestyle absolutely fascinating, which made her a perfect match for Shad since he was the first to ride one in countless centuries, not counting Link's battle with Argorok, which was technically an 'arach' dragon and was less riding and more clinging. Link had no problem accepting their ruling on that matter.

"But the most interesting thing," Marla finally was coming to a close, "Was that we saw green land on the other side."

"Really?" Ashei raised her eyebrows. "Another kingdom on the far side of the mountain range?"

"Technically, we couldn't tell if the land had been settled or not," Shad explained, "But there it was. A perfectly suitable land where people could settle down and live."

"Over a couple hundred miles of treacherous, frozen mountains." Ashei reminded him.

"We know, but someday..." Shad let his sentence trail off as he heard the trumpets sound a fanfare, letting the people know that the hosts of the celebration were ready to present themselves. Everyone turned to the stairs leading up the castle and bowed lowly as the announcer shouted: "Introducing your hosts...Queen Zelda and King Byron de Hylia!"

The royal pair slowly descended the staircase, Byron waving and Zelda nodding as they reached the bottom. At that point, everyone raised their heads as Zelda spoke. "We thank you greatly for coming here on this day. Though we've been at peace officially for only ten years, I hope that our kingdoms of Silidan and Hyrule may continue to prosper together until the end of time."

"And I say," King Byron inserted his own words, "That may our people continue to learn from one another, so that though we are different, we may not be separate as we were in the past."

A short applause was given to them, though more out of tradition than for what was said. Zelda then quickly took back the reigns. "We ask that, once we've greeted the others in the courtyard, that you will all join us in the first dance."

Everyone bowed again as the king and queen sauntered past them all into the courtyard. Once they cleared the doors, everyone stood up again and resumed their conversations. Shad was a little too slow, as Lady Sil had suddenly appeared between them and greeted him. "Shad! How nice to see you again!"

"Mistre-...I mean Lady Sil. I'm sorry that it's been so long since we've visited."

"Not at all, I understand quite fully how work can come between these things." The elderly woman looked up at the ceiling. "This castle still intrigues me greatly, I only wish I'd been allowed to design something as great as this."

"Well, there was a lot of renovating done to it after the Shadow Invasion, but yes." Shad agreed. "But I must say that Reflection is absolutely fascinating in its own right."

The conversation continued while Link found himself being tugged away by Ashei. His wife had just spotted someone else of interest. To Link's surprise, it was Renado's daughter Luda. He hadn't seen much of her in the previous years, since she'd gone on a journey by herself all over the known lands trying to become an herbalist as well revered as her father. Ashei was approaching her from behind, so she tapped the young woman on the shoulder to get her attention. Quite calmly, she turned from her conversation with a young man and greeted them with a mild bow. "I was wondering when I'd get to see you two again."

"Luda, I have a question for you." Ashei began, but Luda stopped her and answered: "If you need my medical consultation: drink water, rest and call on me in the morning if it doesn't subside."

"I tried all that, but it still hasn't gotten rid of this absolutely hideous _wart_ on my side." Ashei replied jokingly while pulling Link closer for dramatic effect. Luda finally lost her composure and chuckled loudly while shaking her head.

"It's great to see you again, Ashei!" She finally spoke.

"Likewise, Luda."

"I'm glad to see you were able to make it back in time." Link remarked, before Ashei hushed him with the wisecrack: "Quiet, wart!"

"Fortunately, my father was able to get a letter to me before it would've been too late. He, unfortunately, is too busy in Kakariko to make it himself, but he did send his best to the two of you."

"Have you found anything interesting on your travels?" Link piped up again, ignoring his wife's earlier comment.

"Nothing too out of the ordinary for what I was doing." Luda grabbed a drink from a server and sipped it lightly. She gave a pondering look as if she were sampling it, before just giving up on it entirely. "If there's one thing I wish I could match my father at, it's his wine tasting skills."

"Last I spoke with him, you'd already surpassed him in everything else." The hylian woman told her. "Perhaps you should just let him have this one."

"I always strive to be the best..." Link could hardly hear her voice as his attention was again turned back by the sight of the king and queen returning. The crowd parted for them, creating the circle where they would dance. As tradition dictated, the royalty would dance by themselves just for a minute or so before anyone else could join them. As the two faced each other, the king bowed to the queen, whom curtsied back to him. Then the music began, and they started the waltz.

It was an elaborate one, and choreographed to be quite graceful. Though Byron was leading, it was quite obvious that Zelda was in control. There was little that he could do to prove otherwise as well. It was apparent to Link that he wasn't nearly as capable a ruler as her, and considering she possessed the Triforce of Wisdom, it wasn't expected of him.

Finally, it was time for the others present to join in, and knowing that everyone expected him to be first, Link invited his wife to join him on the dance floor. Despite dancing being a weakness of his, he had spent the last week preparing for this particular one just to be safe. The smile on Ashei's face seemed to signify that she appreciated the effort.

"You finally got it right." She complimented him. "Now if you can just stop murmuring the steps under your breath, no one would be able to tell you're incredibly nervous."

"Thanks." He led her into a flourish, and slowly he was able to stop thinking about what he was doing and just let himself act. For once, he was actually enjoying the fluid motions that he originally felt so forced to learn. Then again, maybe it was just that Ashei was so captivating that he didn't seem to care anymore. Either way, he was just happy to be on the dance floor with his beautiful, if sometimes forceful, wife.

As the first song ended, the crowd applauded. Link and Ashei turned towards the band, very much impressed by their performance. Just as Link was hoping, leading the band were none other than Mandrakos Fears and Evanith Guards. They were both bowing down courteously to the queen and king. The tall sunderan was as hammy as ever, while the short one was as modest as before.

Since there were still several dances they had to play through, the two had no choice but to return to their instruments and prepare another melody. Link, however, wanted a chance to recover before dancing again, and Ashei's eye had caught something interesting.

"They're not going to dance again." She muttered to Link, pulling him aside again.

"Who?" Link asked honestly.

"Zelda and Byron." She nodded her head in their direction which Link turned to face. Just as his wife had said, Byron was leading Zelda away from the dance floor over to a table with food on it. The queen found herself browsing a series of fruits, most of which were probably native to the hylian market, but a couple of them were recognized as silidian in origin.

"Oh, my goddesses." Ashei whispered, having spun to watch as well. "Did Zelda finally...?"

"What? Did Zelda finally what?" Link felt so clueless sometimes, and it didn't help that he wasn't given an answer. Instead Ashei just motioned for him to follow her over to the queen. As they approached, the two made their appropriate courtesies, (Ashei's much faster than Link's) and struck up a conversation.

"Zelda," Ashei began, "I can't thank you enough for giving Link and I a chance to have a romantic night without the kids clinging to our every step."

A polite smile creased the queen's face. "It's always a pleasure to have you around the castle again. There are few people in my court that have your frankness."

"Some people just find you intimidating. I don't."

"Neither do I," Link mentioned. "But that isn't why I'm as..."

"Tact _less_?" Ashei suggested.

"I was going to say something a little more tact _ful_ , but I guess that about sums it up."

The queen stifled a laugh at their banter. "Forgive me, I don't mean to find your quibbling amusing."

"It's just that it is, yeah? I told Link we could put on a show and sell tickets, but you know how he can get." The two ladies chuckled a bit louder while the gentleman glanced at each other while shrugging their shoulders. They both had the same thought in their heads: _Women_. "Anyway, Zelda, I've got to ask: when did it finally happen?"

"Excuse me?" The queen didn't understand at first, but caught the warrior's meaning shortly. Feeling very aware of herself, she placed a hand over her abdomen before replying. "I'd hoped it wasn't noticeable."

"Not _on_ you, at least. It's just that you're already thinking about how to eat for two."

Byron shifted slightly. "I suppose we could make an announcement today."

"Oh, I'll keep my mouth shut if you think it's too soon." Ashei assured him. "But ever since you've been married, it's just that I've been curious as to what's taken you two so long."

"That's a personal matter." Zelda answered with a touch of sternness in her voice. It was enough to get Ashei to back off on the subject.

"Well, I don't suppose I need to tell you that having a child will change your life." Link commented.

"Yes, starting with my eating habits." Zelda remarked, finally taking a bite from the fruit. Byron decided to take charge at this point. "I think it's time for us to engage with the rest of our guests. I trust we'll still be seeing you both later at the meeting?"

"Of course, you will." Link bowed once more as their lord led their lady to some other guests. Ashei, however, spun to face her husband with a puzzled look on her face. "What meeting?"

Link returned her look, forgetting that he hadn't told her about it. "I didn't mention it? Zelda is finally going to tell us what she meant in her letter a couple weeks ago. You've been invited to join us while we're here."

"Then you can bet that I'll be there. If she wants you back in her guard or something, I want to know as soon as you do."

"Of course." He kissed her as a friendly reminder that he was thinking of her. Then he took her arm in his hand. "Would you care to dance again?"

She smiled back at him. "I'd love to."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

While there were about two hundred people inside Hyrule Castle, nearly a thousand filled the courtyard. It was far less formal party, and though that meant they weren't going to see much of the hero nor the members of the Royal Family, it was far more alive and vibrant than the one within. Few people complained. After all, it wasn't like the queen never saw her subjects. If one truly needed to see Zelda, or her husband, they could seek an audience, and they'd oblige. Frankly, it just made more sense that, were one to have the choice, they'd pick the party in the courtyard.

Esekel was initially irritated that he had to go, but that soon dissipated when he saw all the food and games that were strewn about the grounds. His eyes went wide, and the smile of a giant spread across his face, followed by a scream of joy. Just before he could run off towards the first booth that caught his attention, he felt the light, but firm, tug of Mizu's hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present.

"You remember what your parents said: we stick together as a group."

The boy rolled his eyes, but complied, placing his hand in Mizu's. It wasn't that he disliked Mizu, but he had difficulty being, as it were, constrained by such rules. Not that he was a disobedient child either (far from it, really). It just seemed so unnecessary for him to require guidance in such a friendly environment. As all children his age did, he believed himself more aware of how the world worked than he actually did, and it certainly didn't help that he was remarkably intuitive. Nevertheless, he respected his parents enough to follow their instructions.

"So..." Mizu addressed the three children holding hands. "Where do you want to go first?"

Leviah, fast as lightning, piped up. "I wanna play at that shooting game!" She pointed to the slingshot shooting gallery near the gate to the second section of the courtyard. Sage offered no resistance to the idea, and though Esekel was hoping to get something to eat first, he wasn't hungry enough to object.

The four of them walked over to the booth with great enthusiasm. A young man, with the markings of someone failing to grow a beard, greeted them most lively. "Step right up! Do you think you have what it takes to hit all the targets with this here slingshot?! Only costs a single rupee, or silver coin if you're from Silidan, to try and win won of our fabulous prizes!"

The prizes were adorned on the counter in front of the man. One possible prize was an ordinary red rupee, another was a hand-crafted ornate shield, and a piece of jewelry in the shape of a heart. Leviah was in awe of the shield, even if it was clearly more decorative than practical. Sage's eyes, however, were transfixed on the piece of jewelry. And after realizing that, so too were Esekel's.

"So, who wants a try first?" The young attendant asked. Just as before, it was Leviah that stepped forward, pulling out her little wallet and extracted a single green rupee. The man took it cordially, and handed her the slingshot. Then he spoke very rapidly, uttering the lines he'd countless times rehearsed before. "Now, you've got twenty seeds that you can use to hit all ten targets. As soon as you're out of ammo, the game's up. You must stand behind the bench there. No leaning past it, or you're out. No using rocks on the ground as ammo, or you're out. There is no time limit, but please, be polite to the others in line and don't take too long to complete. Ready? Go!"

The ten red circular targets were set on a pulley system against the gray stones of the castle wall. The attendant would turn the crank on his side, smoothly setting the targets in motion at a steady pace. The distance between Leviah and the targets was about ten yards. That was not particularly far if one were using a bow, but for a slingshot, it could make for a difficult distance, especially considering that the targets were no bigger than the girl's head.

Leviah loaded the slingshot for the first time, raised it up, and after only a second, fired. It missed the target by the slimmest margin, impacting against the wall behind it. The girl was not deterred by this. She was merely testing the slingshot to see how well it worked, and adjusted her aim accordingly. The next four shots all hit their marks without incident. After that however, the targets started to move a little more rapidly than before. The attendant had intentionally sped things up. While she didn't believe that to be fair, she was confident in her abilities, and fired off another four rounds. Two of them hit their targets. With eleven seeds left, she expected the next four targets would still be a cinch to win.

The next shot she fired, however, missed because the target suddenly stopped moving, and she hadn't enough time to adjust. It then started up again before abruptly halting once more. Looking over at the attendant, she could see that he was more than a little bit nervous, and was doing everything he could to try and make her lose. She wanted to yell at him for cheating, but knew that her parents would tell her not to give in to her anger. Besides, she still had half of her ammo, and she knew that the guy was likely getting tired turning the crank all the time.

Leviah took a little longer to aim her shots this time, prepping to fire immediately after they stopped moving. It was much more challenging for her to get used to this change, and five of her seeds missed their targets in the process. But she still hit three more marks in between those failed attempts. With two rounds left, and one target to hit, the attendant stopped playing tricks, and simply spun the crank as fast as he could. The girl watched the last target move around the pulley. Going from the left to the right, over and over again. Filled with determination, she raised her slingshot one more time, and fired.

The seed impacted against the circle, ending the game. Leviah proudly handed back the slingshot and single seed she had left over. Swelling with confidence, she couldn't help but jeer a little at the attendant. "Even when you tried to cheat, I _still_ won."

"Now, now, Leviah, it's his game, and the rules are his to make." Mizu politely reprimanded her, before turning a much more sour gaze toward the attendant. "Although the entirety of the rules ought to have been made clear to the player _before_ they began to play, isn't that right?"

The young man just laughed nervously, and shrugged his shoulders before moving over to the prize counter. "Let it not be said that I am not a man of my word, however. You won, and now you get to choose your prize."

"I want the shield!"

The young man dislodged the shield from it's restraint and handed it to her. It was more of a buckler than a shield, really, but that didn't matter to Leviah. What she cared most about was that she now had a trophy shield; something to show her parents when they were done. It was also really pretty to look at too. The design on the wooden shield was full of bright reds, greens and yellows, all mixed together to make a picture of a rhinoceros head surrounded by a splattering of leaves and flowers. She didn't understand why someone would paint that on a shield, but it too, meant little to the child absorbed by her own desires.

"And which one of you was next?" The attendant did his best to maintain a pleasant appearance, despite a somewhat besmirched reputation. "I'll be honest, my arms got a little tired on that last one, so I guarantee that this time it won't be so erratic."

Sage, somewhat anxiously, stepped forward, and presented her own green rupee. The young man politely exchanged it for the slingshot and new batch of seeds. Unfortunately, her turn at the game was much worse. Even when the attendant had the targets move at a consistent pace, she just wasn't as skilled with the weapon as Leviah. By the time she had run out of seeds, she'd only hit four targets.

"Sorry, my dear, I'm afraid you didn't win. Of course, you're free to try again if you have another rupee."

Sage shook her head, and stepped away, disappointed. Her heart was set on getting that piece of jewelry, and though she did have another couple of rupees, she knew that the results would have been the same. That was when Esekel stepped up and practically shoved a rupee into the young man's hand. "Let me try!"

Esekel was actually the better shot than Leviah, and had no trouble eliminating all the targets with incredible speed. He only had to fire twelve times to hit them, and all under thirty seconds. The attendant was astonished, but did as was expected of him and handed the young boy the piece of heart. The boy, in turn, handed it to Sage. "Here, this is for you."

The girl couldn't find the words to speak at first, opting to kiss him on the cheek, which made Esekel turn red. Then she smiled brightly and said, "Thank you _so_ much!"

Having finished with that game, they moved over to another one just a few yards over. Along the way, Leviah teased Esekel about the kiss, which, again, upset him. Meanwhile, Mizu was distracted by spotting a young man another couple yards further away. Recognizing him as her ex, she felt the need to split up for a few moments, but knew that their parents would not agree. Then she saw whom was directing the game, and knew that she was a trustworthy person. When they reached the booth, she greeted her warmly before moving to the crux of her issue. "Hena, I need to speak privately with that man over there, but I can't break away from these kids. Can you watch them for about five minutes?"

"I don't see why not." She replied in a friendly manner. Mizu thanked her, and told the kids to stay put until she came back. They had no problem, as they were enamored by the strange game in front of them.

On the booth before Hena was a rectangular piece of wood, and on it were two circular pieces with a long, winding path connecting the two. Inside one of the circles was a marble. They children watched as she demonstrated to the on-lookers how to play by tilting the piece of wood to and fro until the marble got from inside one of the circles to the other, all while making sure that the marble never fell off the path. It seemed like such a simple game, but the first person to give it a shot failed miserably. Hena then pulled out several other courses so that more people could play.

"Well," she spoke pleasantly, and without feigned excitement. "Care to try your hand at a little Rollgoal until Mizu returns? Just a single rupee to play. The harder the course you try, the greater the prize you can win."

Again, Leviah stepped forward before the others, and practically shoved her rupee into the woman's hand. She then moved to the largest, most complicated course she could find, and picked it up. She tilted the block of wood around a few times just to see how much it took to make the marble move. Once she was satisfied, she started the course in earnest, and immediately the marble fell off the path. Hena shook her head in disappointment. "Sorry, love, but maybe you ought to try one of the easier courses, if you're just a beginner."

Leviah was visibly frustrated, dug into her pouch, pulled out another green rupee, and picked up the same course again. While her efforts this time were better, she couldn't pass the halfway mark. The young woman, almost out of embarrassment, found herself giving the girl tips on how to keep the block steady, but she was too focused to listen to her. She tried a third, and fourth time, failing both attempts. By this time, both her brother and Sage had completed the easiest course, winning wood carvings of a dog and cat. Seeing as how they were done, she started pleading with them. "Esekel, gimme one of your rupees, please? I gotta finish this one."

"Nuh-uh." The boy shook his head vigorously. "Dad told you not to waste your money so quickly. Don't go trying to take _my_ allowance just because you don't listen to him."

"What about you, Sage. Will you gimme one of yours? I know if I just try it once more, I'll finally get it."

"I dunno. Uncle Link _did_ warn you not to do it. Why should I have to give my money up to help?"

"Uncle _Link_?" Hena thought out loud. "Are you the kids of the Hero?"

Leviah spun back to face her, a grin finding place on her face again. "Uh-huh! Me and Esekel are! Sage is our friend. We're not related, but she calls our daddy 'Uncle Link', and we call her daddy 'Uncle Rusl'."

"I...I had no idea." Her eyes darted side to side, thinking in rapid sessions what she wanted to do next. "Tell you what, hon, I'll give you one more try on the house."

"Will ya?! Thank you!" Leviah hurriedly picked up the piece of wood once more. This time, she moved with great precision and care. Every time she tilted the block, she made sure not to over correct herself when trying to stop the marble's momentum, as she'd done the last several times. The young girl had finally understood the need to be patient, and to steady her hands. It took her twice as long to reach the final turn as she had the last time, but it had paid off, and she completed the course.

Hena applauded her efforts, and smiled brightly. "Well done! You beat that course faster than your father did. Or _was_ it that course? I can't quite remember. No matter. You get to choose from any of the prizes behind me."

The counter she pointed to was filled with all sorts of collectibles, similar to the previous game, but with far more variety. Leviah's eyes moved from one prize to the next, uncertain which to get. They all looked great, and she loved the idea off showing any one of them to everyone back home. The decision became so difficult, that she had to bring Esekel into the mix, and ask his opinion. The two bickered for quite some time, as was expected, until the two finally decided on the one item they both knew their parents would like: a pair of colorful armbands with intriguing designs on them.

Just as she was about to point them out, she paused. A thought ran through her head that had not occurred to her. Why did this woman give her a free try? It was after she learned that their father was the Hero of Hyrule. Did that mean that she was doing this out of respect, or obligation? As proud as the girl was of both her parents, and of their heroic tales, she found herself disliking the feeling of having to rely on their fame for her success. And upon coming to that revelation, she declined to take her prize. "Thank you, miss, but I can't take any of the prizes."

"Why not?" The woman was genuinely confused. "You earned it."

"No, I didn't. You _let_ me go again, without paying. You let me cheat. That means I didn't earn it."

"Well, what does it matter if I let you go again? You still had to win in order to get your prize."

"Yeah, but you shouldn't have." She sighed deeply, finding it difficult to explain her thinking. "I just... I just wanna prove that I earn it without any help."

Hena nodded, understanding perhaps even more than Leviah did, and came up with a compromise. "Very well. If that's how you feel, I certainly won't _force_ you to take a prize. But suppose I just hold onto the prize you wanted, and if you come back again with another rupee, we'll see if you can do it one more time. How does that sound?"

Leviah liked the sound of that, and affirmed it by replying. "Uh-huh!"

"Good. Now, which one did you want again?" The girl pointed to the armbands, and the woman put them on the side. With that in order, the only thing left to do was to find another rupee. With a wicked grin on her face, she turned back to face her brother. He already knew what was coming next. "I already told you: I'm not gonna give you one of my rupees!"

"But you wanted the armbands as much as I did! And you saw me beat that thing! You know I can do it again! Just gimme one of your rupees!"

Off to the side, Mizu returned, and placed a firm hand on the shoulders of both kids.

"What have you gotten into now?" She asked sternly. Then she turned to Hena, "They weren't causing you any trouble, were they?"

Hena held back a snicker, as she was reminded of the squabbles she'd gotten into with her own sibling. Even if they were the children of a hero, they were ordinary children after all.

"Not at all." She finally replied. "Not at all."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The entire party lasted over three hours. Near the end of the first was when King Aric Maukro showed up with his wife, Talya. They came via the newly made magical transport connecting the two castles together. It was only powerful enough to send a handful of people through at any given time, which was by design. The intent being to allow conference between the royals and their diplomats to be done with haste, not to teleport a large mass of troops from one castle to the other.

Aric's introduction was just as grandiose as Zelda's, but he took a little longer speaking than the former. He was a charismatic man, and the people present were entranced by the words of peace he uttered. When he finished, he too spoke to the denizens in the courtyard, before dancing in the main hall. Link and Ashei found no difficulty speaking to him to catch up on the current events down in Silidan. At one point Mandrakos and Evanith joined them, and they all spoke at lengths about mostly trivial things throughout their lives like old friends.

Around the start of the third hour was when people began to leave. The party was officially over, but some people continued to chat with friends while some of the musicians continued to play. By the time the moon was high in the sky, even the courtyard was empty, having been cleared out, and cleaned up. It was then that Link, Ashei and several others were to have their meeting in the council chambers. Their kids were allowed to stay on the castle grounds, and occupied their time in a little game room, playing with their prizes.

The council chamber was a little on the small side, but it would suit their purposes fine. They all sat around a long, rectangular table, with Zelda and Byron on one side, and Aric and Talya on the other. Link and Ashei were sat very near the middle, opposite of Mandrakos and Evanith. Rusl and Saffir were on their left, while Lady Sil was on their right. Once everyone was seated, Zelda made her opening statement.

"First, I'd like to thank you all for being able to make it this evening. It was quite enjoyable speaking to you all in person." The expression of delight on her face never shifted as she continued to speak. "And I would also like to thank King Aric Maukro, and his wife Talya, for showing up when he did. We'd heard that you might have been waylaid by other matters."

"For a moment, we were," Aric spoke politely, "but I was able to get Gorim to postpone our discussion until tomorrow."

"Gorim, the buko?" Sil asked. "Has something happened?"

"Nothing serious, yet, but he mentioned that a faction of his people are still angry about how Silidan had previously treated them. We're thinking of ways to soothe their anger. Nothing for anyone here to worry about. We've other matters to discuss right now."

"Quite right." Zelda chimed back in. "And I'd like to start it off by pointing out how much both our kingdoms have grown since we re-opened trade between us. We've done some surveys with both hylians and humans, and have found that they have been more prosperous and happy this last decade than in any other previous records."

"This is a common occurrence, of course." Byron added. "Opening up trade routes historically has always led to an increase of wealth among all people involved."

"And that is why we've decided to begin several expeditions to locate other races, or nations, in hopes of trading with them." Zelda concluded. "We brought you all here because we have roles for each of you to play in these."

So that was it, Link thought to himself. Zelda wanted them to travel across unknown lands in order to find new peoples for purposes of trade. Such a journey could prove to be dangerous, and the hero surmised that was why he was asked to come along. He would be assigned to one of the expeditions as its protector. That meant leaving Ashei and the kids behind for an undetermined period of time. He didn't like the idea of doing that.

"Really, it was all thanks to Shad for finding green land on the north side of the Snowfall Mountains." Byron complimented the scholar. "Since we've been surrounded by such hazardous terrain on all sides, we had not thought that such lands still existed beyond our borders. But now that we know they exist, we believe we should take steps to see if there are inhabitants with which we can open trade."

"Am I going to lead this expedition?" Shad asked, barely containing his excitement.

"That was our desire, yes." Zelda nodded. "Now, your trip is likely to be the easiest one, but we still intend to send with you several guards, for safety. Avicus will be leading them."

Shad turned to see the graying colonel nod his head up and down in acknowledgement. Shad recalled the soldier fondly, for he was one of the soldiers that accompanied him and his friends in their attack on Soarinox. He'd even saved the scholar's life during that encounter. "I hope you still remember how to fly a dragon."

"I'm sure I'll pick up on it again soon enough."

"I trust that I can go with my husband, right?" Marla piped up, hoping she wasn't wrong.

"Of course." Zelda confirmed. She then mentioned another two humans that Link didn't recognize in the room whom would go with Shad. Then she looked to the two across from Link. "Mandrakos and Evanith, we were hoping that you would lead the expedition east through the Yarna Wastelands. I know that's not a particularly pleasant journey, bu-"

"I'll take it!" Mandrakos enthusiastically stated before the queen could even finish her sentence. Evanith elbowed him in the gut for being so rude before speaking herself. "My apologies, your Highness."

"It's all right." She had a bemused look on her face. "We'll be sure to send with you extra water, and plenty of food that can last in that environment."

Again, she pointed out another couple of humans, a buko and a hylian guard that would accompany him on that trip. Then, it was Aric's turn to speak up. He glanced over to the young hero from Silidan, the slayer of the tyrannical emperor, and said, "Trejon, we would like you to lead the final expedition: the one across the Morin Sea. Are you up to the task?"

The young man had become the captain of a sea vessel some time ago, Link had learned in his earlier talks with him that evening. If anyone could voyage across the vast expanse of water, it was he. Trejon answered with determination and pride. "It would be an honor to do so, your Majesty."

"Excellent! Now, your expedition will be a little different, as we'll need you to clear out the Orion Archipelago of pirates first, but you will have a fleet of ships assisting you in that endeavor. Once that is finished, you will take only your ship off to the west. We believe this expedition to be the most... _uncertain_ , as it were. It could be easier than Shad's or harder than Mandrakos'. We have no way of knowing. So we hope to send you with some of our most experienced travelers and adventurers, just to be on the safe side."

"We would like for Lady Sil to go with you." Zelda continued, turning to face the aging noble. "Your knowledge of the stars will ensure that he knows exactly where you all are at all times, and you will be able to chart your voyage with ease."

Lady Sil had known Trejon for many years, even before the two had become a part of the renegade knights fighting off against the emperor of Silidan. They had no problem trusting each other with their lives. "I have no complaints with this arrangement. I would gladly accompany Trejon on his journey."

"Link and Rusl," The queen glanced over to the two. "Would you also be willing to take part in this journey?"

"If your Highness wishes it, then I will go." Link replied with equal parts sadness and obedience. Ashei looked at him with wide eyes, shocked that he would respond as quickly and as definitive as he did. Before she could voice her frustration, however, it was Rusl's turn to answer the queen. "I'm sorry, my Queen. My days of fighting and adventuring are over. I've been the mayor of New Ordon since it's creation, and I have a duty to my people there, as well as my family."

Saffir squeezed Rusl's hand lightly, letting him know she was thankful for his decision. Zelda understood this, and nodded her head. "We expected that to be your answer, but thought it best to ask just in case. No one here is obligated to go on any of these expeditions, so if you do wish to bow out for personal reasons, we will find others to take your place."

Link took her words as if they were intended for himself exclusively, even though she did not look directly at him. He took his time deeply pondering them too, but remained silent. That was when Ashei finally addressed Zelda. "Excuse me, but if Rusl isn't going with Link, than _I_ will gladly take his place."

The look on Link's face mirrored her own when she'd heard him say he was going. Zelda, again replied as tactfully as possible. "Well, if you both wish to go, then you can. We'd assumed that you wouldn't want to leave your children by themselves, but if that's not the case..."

"We'll just bring them along as well."

There were some hushed murmurings around the table at that announcement. Link couldn't understand why Ashei was saying anything, and pulled her close to have a whispered conversation. "Are you willing to put our kids in harm's way just for a chance at another adventure?"

"Only if you are not willing to do the right thing like Rusl and decline to go with them."

"I _have_ to go with them."

"Zelda just said that you _don't_."

"If you two would like some time to sort things out," Zelda politely intervened, "Then you can use one of chambers nearby. We're just going to go over some of the trips in more detail right now. Should you choose to go with Trejon, I can relay them to you afterwards."

The two paused their bickering and faced the queen. Link bowed respectfully and replied, "Thank you, your Highness. I believe we will do just that."

* * *

Link and Ashei found a cozy waiting room just outside the council chambers to continue their argument. The walls were thick enough in the event things got too loud, but they shut the door just in case a wandering servant came by. Despite Link's cool composure in front of Zelda and the rest of the people inside the chamber, he was very upset with Ashei, and for the first time in many years, was on the offense against her. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

"Keeping our family together!" She defended herself with conviction. "What the hell do you think _you're_ doing?!"

"Keeping our family _safe_! You can't seriously be thinking about taking our kids across the Morin Sea!"

"And why not? It can't be anymore dangerous than any other part of the world. Hyrule and Silidan each dealt with a war. Ordon was attacked twice; the first time stealing kids and the second burning them and the village down!"

"I was unarmed the first time, and not present the second. Had I been there, they wouldn't have succeeded."

"All the more reason the kids would be safer with you near them."

"But that's different!" He threw his hands into the air, retreating to one of the chairs to sit down. "If something bad happens, there will be nowhere for them to hide, or get out of harms way if they come with us. They'll be stuck on that ship. And you heard what Aric said we'd be doing first _before_ heading off, yeah? We're going to be fighting _pirates_! Where would they be while we're busy fighting them?"

"That's in an archipelago. You could drop them off on any one of those smaller islands and they'd be safe," She pursued him, but remained standing, "and I would stay with them in that case, if it eases your mind."

"You ought to be staying with them in _Ordon_."

"They _ought_ to be staying with _both_ of us. Whether we all go overseas, or stay home, that's all that matters. The question is why are you compelled to go off on your own?"

"Don't turn this around onto me. You know I have to go."

"Like hell, you do. I know you heard what Zelda said. She _didn't_ say you had to go."

"She didn't have to. I _know_ what is expected of me."

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

"And is that to do her every whim? I seem to recall that you chose _not_ to be her personal bodyguard after Ganondorf was defeated! You didn't act as if you _had_ to do as she requested! What changed between then and now?"

"Nothing has changed!" He stood back up, placing his hands on her shoulders, which she shoved off before moving away. She stared at the wall with her arms crossed, while he went after her. "I just...I just know that I have to go!"

A long silence came between them, as Ashei collected her thoughts, and Link calmed himself down. They'd never fought like this before. All their previous scuffles had been far less animated. Eventually, it was Ashei that broke the pause, turning back around to face her husband. "I like to believe I know you well enough to think you aren't just trying to get away from your family for the sake of an adventure. So I will spare asking you if I'm wrong. That only leaves the option that this has to do with being the Chosen Hero, yeah? You're saying that you are being told by the goddesses that you have to go?"

"No, I'm not. At least, not directly, I think."

"So you don't know for certain." She sighed frustrated at her current position, and ultimately sat down in front of him. Unable to look him in the eye, she turned her gaze to the floor. Her voice had become quiet, almost meek. "That's not good enough for me."

Link couldn't stand to look down at his wife, so he sat next to her, placing a comforting hand on her back. "I'm sorry I've put you in this position. I can't expect you to understand what it's like to have a destiny like I do."

"Just tell me _why_ you think you have to go, and why you can't take us with you? Are you having a premonition? Is it _really_ going to be dangerous for the kids? If you know, then I'd understand that. But if all we have to go off of is your gut, then you're asking me to put a lot of faith in a mere hunch."

"No premonitions, just a feeling. A feeling that hasn't gone away since I read that letter from Zelda. I first had it the night I spoke with Rusl about going to Hyrule Castle for the first time, and again when I left Ordon just before it was destroyed. I've even briefly felt it a few other times between then and now, and it hasn't steered me wrong once. I can't ignore it, and I can't risk placing all of you in danger because of it." He cupped her chin so he could look her in the eyes. He noted that a couple of tears had streamed down her face. "More than anything, I wish I could stay with you and the kids. No amount of adventures or heroic deeds compare to my time spent with you. You know that's true."

She nodded, finally wiping away the tears with her hand. "But you won't take us with you, even if we'd be safer, and happier, together."

Link couldn't answer her, and looked away in shame. That was too much for Ashei. She stood up and left him in the room. He could hear her footsteps moving down the hall, but he didn't follow. An eternity had passed as he sat in silence, contemplating how to mend his family. It wasn't until Zelda stepped in that he remembered where he was. "I take it you weren't able to patch things up so quickly."

He looked up at her, and shook his head. She moved to sit opposite of him. "I'm sorry that this decision has caused some rifts in your marriage."

"It's not your fault. We both know that this is unavoidable." They both smirked at each other. One was the Chosen Hero, and the other had the blood of a goddess. Even if they were not married, nor related, they shared a relation that nobody else could comprehend. It occasionally drew ire from their own spouses, even if it wasn't an intimate connection, but there wasn't anything they could do about it. Sometimes, when even Ashei couldn't help him, he always found himself relying on that link with Zelda. "Do you ever have these kind of problems with Byron?"

"More than I'm willing to admit." She chuckled to herself. "He can be so simple, sometimes. But he tries to understand. Goddesses know he tries. "

"Is that why it took you so long to have a child?"

Zelda looked at him with surprise. She didn't expect him to have such insight. Instinctively, she placed her hand over her stomach as she had before, as if to protect her child. No longer feeling the need to hide it, however, she spoke freely. "Hylian-human children always inherit their blood from their human parent. I cannot let my lineage end, even for him. We've fought over it for many years, nearly every week."

"What changed?"

"We decided to...try magic." A look of concern fell over Link. It sounded very dangerous to him, using her divine powers to manipulate her own child in the womb. She could tell he was worried. "I know it's not a great option, but I saw no others. I refused to have anything less than a hylian child, and I certainly wasn't going to present myself to another hylian man. Aside from the fact that I would never debase myself in such a way, I love Byron too much to betray him. This was the only way we could compromise."

"I don't know." Link thought. "It's still awfully risky."

"That's true. Still, lots of decision we make in life are risky. And some decisions we make are not, but they still somehow end up with dire consequences." Zelda stood back up, and started to depart, but paused right at the door. Looking back, she added, "But sometimes, no matter what you decide, events will remain out of your control. All we can do is pray that we made the best decisions possible."

The hero reflected on her words of wisdom as she left the room. His thoughts drew him back to the destruction of Ordon, and all he could remember was how much he regretted not being there to save it. Even though he knew that there wasn't likely to be any new problems to arise in Ordon, it was still a persuasive image, seeing his family and friends dead. And while that thought compelled him to stay in Hyrule, he knew that wasn't an option. Perhaps he would have to compromise, just as Zelda had done.

Link departed from the room in search of his wife. According to one of the servants, she'd gone as far as the game room with Leviah and Esekel. When he arrived, he found her admiring the pair of armbands Leviah had won. She glanced over to see him, and silently sauntered in his direction. Both of their kids noticed the strange way their parents were acting, but didn't know what to do. They just watched their mother's wordless approach towards their father. When he spoke to her, it was too quiet for them to hear clearly.

"How much money did we make on that trade two years ago?" He referred to the time they had given up some of their goat herd to some ranchers from Silidan. They'd determined to save that money as an emergency fund, which was what perked Ashei's curiosity. "A little over two thousand rupees."

"Do you think that would be enough to buy four hollow oocca eggs?"

The gears were turning in Ashei's head as she discerned his plan. "You're thinking of taking us with you?"

"Would you be willing to use those eggs with the kids the moment things get dangerous?"

"Of course." There was no hesitation in her voice. It was rare for Link to see her acting so subservient to him, but that was likely because she'd accepted the fact that he had a higher power to answer. "But taking into account how much it would cost to have an oocca hang around Ordon for an extended period of time would put us over the limit. You know how they get when around cuccos."

"What about three, then? Could we leave Yerik with Rusl and Saffir?"

"I think we could manage that."

"Could _you_ manage leaving him behind for several months?" She finally had to pause, and really consider that fact. Her motherly instinct told her 'no', but everything else said otherwise. In the end, she rationalized it as acceptable. It still didn't make it any easier to say, so instead she nodded in response. That was good enough for Link. "Okay. I'll let Zelda know that you, Leviah, and Esekel are going with me."

Ashei smiled widely, and embraced him. They kissed each other, and as they parted, Ashei's face turned turned back to her more serious-playful nature. "Don't think that just because you got the final say on this that you will always get it from here on out, even on this expedition."

"The thought never entered my mind." He was playing with her, trying to leave all the anger that had originated with the argument behind. And after getting her final say in, Ashei was willing to do the same. By this time, the kids came over to them, wondering what was going on.

"Did I hear right?!" Leviah exclaimed ecstatically. "Are we going somewhere else?!"

"That's right, Lee." Ashei responded, pulling their kids in closer. "All _four_ of us, will be taking an interesting trip."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Another month passed before the time for the voyage had come. Link and Ashei did everything they could to prepare themselves for the expedition, tying up any loose ends at home, and ensuring that Saffir and Rusl were prepared to care for Yerik. Again, Ashei was hesitant, and felt the desire to keep Yerik close, but knew that it was too late to change her mind. Pangs of guilt swelled up within her, and once their family began traveling south, the urges subsided, but never left.

They took the station wagon with Lady Sil back towards Suric. The castle surrounding the town had been torn down with the dissolving of the noble houses in Silidan, which was fine by Link. After what had happened to Ilia in that specific castle, he had no desire to set foot in that palace again. The city had grown beyond the barriers of the old walls, however, so he was not obligated to get anywhere close to the place where he'd caused her death. That much pleased him.

The port in particular was much larger than before. Standing like a sentinel on four different docks were four ships. They were the ones that would set off toward the Orion Archipelago in order to rid that criminal haven of all pirates. But one of the ships stood out more than the others. While the three smaller vessels had a single mast, the fourth, and largest, ship possessed four. It was a new ship, and it was clear to the hylian family that they were to take that one across the Morin Sea into unknown waters. Nevertheless, it didn't stop the children from asking an endless stream of questions.

"Is that the ship we're going on?" Leviah hopped up and down while grabbing onto her father's arm, unable to contain her excitement.

"That's right." Link replied, still walking towards the massive ship. "That's the _Puissant Peacemaker_."

"What does 'Pwiss-ant' mean?"

"A couple of things, but in this context, I think it means 'influential.' Basically, it knows how to handle tough characters."

"Is that why it's leading the attack on the pirates?" Esekel pondered.

"No, that is incidental, meaning that since we were heading out in this direction anyway, and it's much bigger than the other ships, we might as well help them out."

"How many people are going to be on that ship with us?"

"I don't remember. We'll have to ask Trejon once we're on board."

"I hope there isn't too many." Leviah added. Ashei corrected her. " _Aren't_ , dear."

As they got closer to the dock, they noticed the odd way that the people in town were murmuring amongst each other. There seemed to be a commotion at the dock, and the villagers were obviously unsettled by it. After another couple of minutes of walking, the hylians identified the disturbance. Korgmaw, the leader of the bulbins was in heated talks with Trejon. Link had nearly forgotten the large bulblin that he'd battled several times in the past. After he'd assisted them in removing the emperor of Silidan, he and his kind had sort of faded back into the mountains. He couldn't recall ever hearing about his people coming out to discuss anything with Aric or Zelda, so he'd assumed that they just wanted to be left alone. Seeing him out like this was very curious, but not worrisome as the people of Suric saw it.

"Hail, friend!" Link waved a hand towards the bulbin. "What brings you out this way?"

The bulbin ceased his debate with the captain, and turned to face the hylian. Having gotten closer, Link could see that Korgmaw had aged extensively. His skin, while never really healthy to look at before, had many new blemishes and wrinkles. What hairs that remained on his head were completely white, and frail. His muscles, once strong enough to swing an axe twice Link's size, had lost their mass. But what surprised the hero the most was that his face, once daring and full of pride, had lost its luster. In that moment, he realized that even though he was engaged in an angry argument, he was pleading for help. It was almost pathetic, and Link couldn't help but take pity on him.

"You." Korgmaw spoke in ragged tones. "I...I remember you. Perhaps you can help me."

"I would be glad to do so if I can. What's going on? Why are you arguing with Trejon?"

"I can tell you that." The ship captain interjected. "He wants me to allow a bulblin onto the Peacemaker."

It was an odd request, to be sure, for Link. However, he failed to see why Trejon was against it. "What's wrong with that?"

"The fact that the bulblin in question is Muzzle."

"M-... _Muzzle_?" Link asked with confusion. Trejon continued. "Korgmaw's grandson: Reekmaw. This isn't the first time he's asked to allow him to follow one of us around. Several months ago, he joined a traveling merchant, fell asleep when he was on guard duty, and let their entire stock get taken by bandits. A couple months after that, we let him see what it was like to be in our military. He followed a company of our troops around the Rushiri Canyon, and nearly got them killed when they accidentally ran into a cave of giant gohma spiders. The simple fact of the matter is that he's bad luck, and on an important mission like this, it's not a chance I'm willing to take."

Link turned back towards Korgmaw. "Is that about the size of it?"

The bulblin nodded his head. "You can see how old I have become. When I pass on, Reekmaw will become the new king of the bulblins. While I have taught him all I know, it is not enough. Our people must learn your ways, or else we will perish."

"So you want Reekmaw to learn these ways and pass them down to the others. Is not someone else able to go in his stead?"

"It _must_ be Reekmaw." The elder spoke with what remaining authority he still possessed. "While he is often... _ditsy_ , none other is as innovative among our kind. He is the only one that I can entrust this task to."

"And is there no other place he can go? Perhaps at in the court of the king in Reflection?"

"That time will come. But now, it is time he learned the ways of the sea, and of diplomacy. Your journey is precisely the kind of task that would suit him well."

The hylian glanced back over to Trejon. Despite the young commander's adamant response earlier, he was not immune to reason. Link figured there was some way to compromise. "Surely he wouldn't take up much room on the ship, would he?"

"That's hardly the problem. The ship was made to accompany, should they ever be deemed necessary, an extra 450 men than what we are traveling with. Nevertheless, my crew and I will be too busy to be dealing with his antics." He sighed in a moment of thought. "Look, I can see you're not going to take 'no' for an answer. So if _you_ would be willing to watch him, then I will accept him aboard my ship. I know you have your kids you're looking after as well, but that's the only way I will take him on."

"I'll have to consult with my wife on that." He bowed to both parties before moving towards Ashei, whom had listened to the entire discussion mere yards away. "What do you think? There should be room in the kid's cabin, I think, if he's not too big."

"I don't know." His wife replied, "I'm just not sure I want someone like what they described hanging around them that much. He could be a very bad influence."

"But the whole point is that Korgmaw wants me to help make him a _good_ influence. I can't see why we couldn't teach him alongside our kids."

"I can: Because we're _terrible_ teachers."

"Then he won't turn out any worse than Leviah and Esekel." He was joking with that last remark, but it did not get a laugh out of Ashei. Still, it did soften her up to the idea. "One other thought: if he's as bad as they say, disciplining him may become difficult."

"That's true." Now it was Link's turn to be unsure. "What would we do in that event?"

"Promise you'll let _me_ handle it, and I'll also be okay with him being on board."

Link nodded, and returned to the two parties. "It is done. Where is Reekmaw now?"

Korgmaw stepped to the side, revealing a very short, barely four foot tall, bulblin. He stood clad only in breeches, and carrying a small sack over his arm. His head, like Korgmaw's, was also bereft of hair, but upon closer inspection of the whiteness on his scalp, it was clear that his hair had been burned in some sort of accident. In the time it took for Link to look him over, the little guy thrust a hefty finger upwards into his nose, wriggled it around, yanked out a green chunk of gunk, and ate it. Then the little gremlin smiled widely, revealing that his teeth were very dull for a bulblin.

Link couldn't help but wince slightly at the sight, but he was a man of his word. The hylian bent down and extended his hand to Reekmaw. "It is good to meet you, Reekmaw. I will be the one guiding you on this adventure."

The bulblin hesitantly brought his own hand to meet Link's and shook it. "Muz-... _Reek_ maw thankful for the chance you give him. Reekmaw will show you you make good choice."

"I certainly hope so. But be aware that you must listen to what I tell you, and do as I say. If you don't, then you'll have to answer to Ashei."

Reekmaw shifted to look at the woman standing beside Link. Aside from being taller, he didn't see anything intimidating about her. He glanced back at Link and asked, "Is that bad?"

"You could always ask my kids to find out." Link stood back up, speaking to Korgmaw next. "We will take good care of him, I can assure you."

"That is all I want. You have my thanks."

The massive bulblin left with his small entourage. Link watched him leave, no longer feeling pity for him. It had dawned upon him that this was likely the last time he would see Korgmaw. While he may never forget the horrible things the king of the bulblins did in the Twilight Invasion, he would at least accept that in the many years since, he had changed his attitude. But the one thing that never changed was that Korgmaw, the Bulblin King, was a proud warrior, and Link had to respect that.

Having seen the conclusion of the commotion, the people surrounding them went back to their own business. Trejon, in a show of his gratefulness towards Link for peaceably ending the argument, extended his own hand toward the ship. "May I escort you aboard?"

The captain gave them a tour of the vessel, showing off the masterwork of craftsmen that took many months to complete. He explained that it was a new class of ship referred to as a Carrack, as opposed to the other three boats which were Cogs. This new class was designed for long travel over open seas, and could carry an incredible amount of both personnel and goods. Trejon bragged that, at its most, the _Puissant Peacemaker_ could carry over 700 people, but that many people on board was for short trips, as that number would not do well cramped up on such a vessel for very long. Instead, the crew size for this journey was reduced to 250, with 115 being sailors, and 95 soldiers. The last 30 were the various specialists that would accompany them, from carpenters, to cooks, to a pair of zoras that could safely detect reefs. But they were the exception. Nearly the entire crew consisted of humans, and maybe three dozen hylians. With Link and those he was traveling with, the total number of people on the ship came to 255.

The Peacemaker's maximum cargo capacity was estimated to be around 700 burthen tons, and they intended to take advantage of that. While most of it was made up of various goods for the purposes of trading, enough was provided to maintain food that would last them for eight months. This did mean that if they found no land after three and a half months, they would be forced to turn back. Trejon, was optimistic that they would find more land, though this was based primarily around old tales and legends that had been passed down to him by his grandfather, whom had been a sailor himself. Whether or not they would ring true, was uncertain. Nevertheless, they were prepared for an extended trip on the ship.

Not only that, but they were prepared for any attacks as well. The ship had an armory consisting of a sufficient number of weapons to arm nearly every person on board. Better yet, on the main deck, a line of thirty cannons, based off of Auru's weapon of choice, were mounted with great care. To explain their effectiveness to Link's children and Reekmaw, Trejon said that should the other three ships somehow turn against them, they could blast all three of them with great ease. The thought made all three of the listeners excited.

Before they could continue their tour below deck, word came to the captain that they were ready for their departure, so he had to leave them for a few minutes. Moving up onto the poop deck, Trejon took hold of the helm and commenced to order his men around. The soldiers stood at attention along the port and starboard sides of the vessel while the sailors scrambled about to their various positions. Once they were all in position, Trejon raised his ceremonial sword in the air, signalling to a small ceremonial band on the shore to play their song. Once the tune ended, and the loud applause from the crowds died down, Trejon called the final series of commands, each punctuated with a long enough pause to see that every order was completed before the next was made. "Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Heave ho!"

Link and his family watched from the stern as the ship left the dock, the site of the land steadily leaving their sight was an incredible experience for the lot of them, and they took in what could likely be the last piece of real civilization that they would see for a long time. Ashei turned to her husband, her face beaming. Finally, after a lengthy hiatus, they were on a new adventure.

 **Author's Note: Had lots of learning in order to find the right sailing and ship terminology. See profile for more information.**


End file.
